INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Paul Marsden: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will list the average life expectancy in each year since 1999 for (a) women and (b) men in Afghanistan.

Hilary Benn: The almost continuous conflict in Afghanistan over the last 25 years means that reliable health and population data are hard to come by and where available need to be treated with much caution.
	The World Bank estimates that life expectancy in Afghanistan was 40 in 1980, 42 in 1990 and 43 in 2000. It is generally thought that life expectancy is very similar for men and women.

Agricultural Subsidies

Martin Caton: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment the Department has made of the relationship between agricultural subsidies, export guarantees and the development of impoverished African nations.

Hilary Benn: The benefits to developing countries from the Doha 'Development' Round will depend on the final outcome at the end of the negotiations in 2005. A beneficial outcome for developing countries, including African countries, in the agriculture negotiations would need to address both domestic support and export guarantees. Reductions in currently high levels of trade-distorting support are necessary to address overproduction in the developed world and the swamping of world commodity markets, both of which are of interest to developing countries. Under export guarantees, more explicit rules on the terms of use of export credits and food aid, as well as reductions in export subsidies are needed to address the issue of dumping which is currently harming developing countries' local production and trade.
	The UK is committed to ensuring real reductions in OECD agricultural subsidies, as well as to making progress in other areas of concern not only to African developing countries. These include improving market access for agricultural products and establishing fair rules for special and differential treatment to safeguard food security and rural development in Africa.

Appointments

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the people appointed to ad hoc posts within her Department bearing the titles of advocate, tsar, adviser, champion and comparable titles since May 1997; what their job title is or was; what their role is or was; whether they were or are being paid; what the total cost of each such person was in each financial year, including expenses and benefits; what the expected cost of each such person is in 2003–04; to whom they are accountable; and if she will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The former Secretary of State for International Development, Clare Short appointed the following Special Advisers after May 1997, all were paid appointments: Jessica Crowe, Daniel Harris, David Mepham, Dee Sullivan, Susannah Cox and Ruth Driscoll. No more than two advisers were in post at any one time. All of the appointees listed were accountable to Ministers for their decisions and actions. Under Exemption 12 of the code of Practice on Access to Government Information details of individual salaries are not disclosed in order to protect the privacy of the individuals concerned. The new Secretary of State for International Development, Baroness Amos has not yet appointed any special advisers.

Commodities Markets

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what steps the Government are taking to alleviate the effect of the downturn in international commodities markets on (a) developing country producers and (b) the environment, with particular regard to (i) coffee, (ii) cocoa and (iii) cotton.

Hilary Benn: Price fluctuations are a feature of many primary agricultural commodity markets, including those for coffee, cocoa and cotton. This instability can have negative implications in producer countries at both national level (e.g. in terms of foreign exchange earnings, government revenues and the ability to service debt etc.), and at household level, even in countries where a degree of diversification has been achieved. Any negative effects on the natural and physical environment, such as inappropriate farming practices, cannot be disassociated from the livelihood challenges which a downturn in commodity markets creates for those dependent on the production, marketing and trade in these products.
	Many of the world's poorest countries, particularly those in Africa, remain dependent on these three commodities. We are committed to helping these countries reduce their dependence on these commodities and increase their resilience in the face of unstable world prices. The UK Government, through its development programme and other efforts at international level, are seeking to expand trade opportunities, although existing trade barriers (including tariff escalation) and developed country agricultural policies are major impediments to this. The UK is working to secure reform of international trade rules in general and to reduce the impact of protectionist regimes on developing countries such as the Common Agricultural Policy. In addition, there is scope for creating a more favourable domestic environment within commodity dependent countries themselves. This is necessary to generate broader more diverse economic growth that will provide the means to reduce vulnerability to shocks, such as falling prices. The UK provides support to a variety of activities in this area.

General Agreement on Trade in Services

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister of State Department for International Development if he will make a statement regarding the GATS negotiations; and what assessment he has made of the benefits of full trade liberalisation as a means to achieving development goals.

Hilary Benn: The GATS negotiations are still in their request-offer stage. The EU has agreed an initial market-access offer and has received market access requests from a number of developing countries.
	DFID is co-operating with the World Bank and UNCTAD to carry out a comprehensive programme of work aimed at understanding the impact of service liberalisation across countries and sectors. We hope this will help developing countries to understand the potential impact of liberalising their own service sectors during the GATS negotiations.

General Agreement on Trade in Services

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister of State Department for International Development what assessment the Department has made of the impact of service liberalisation.

Hilary Benn: DFID is co-operating with the World Bank and UNCTAD to carry out a comprehensive programme of work aimed at understanding the impact of service liberalisation across countries and sectors. We hope this will help developing countries to understand the potential impact of liberalising their own service sectors during the GATS negotiations.

Iraq

Norman Lamb: To ask the Minister of State Department for International Development what estimates he has received from (a) UNMAS and (b) other sources on the number of (i) airborne and (ii) ground launched cluster munitions used, and on the number of unexploded bomblets located at sites where cluster munitions were used in Iraq.

Hilary Benn: I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave him on 10 June 2003, Official Report, column 771W.

Official Spelling

Bob Russell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make it his policy that official (a) correspondence, (b) reports and (c) documentation from his office uses the English spelling of words where this differs from the US version.

Hilary Benn: It is DFID policy to use English spelling in all official communications and to use plain English, in accordance with Cabinet Office guidance on the Handling of Ministerial and Other Correspondence.

Race Relations

Angela Eagle: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what progress has been made in his Department and non-departmental public bodies on implementing the requirements of the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000; and if he will publish the results of the monitoring required by the Act.

Hilary Benn: In accordance with the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000, DFID published a Race Equality Scheme in May 2002. This reiterates DFID's commitment to promoting race equality and sets out how the department plans to meet its obligations under the new Act, both as a service provider and as an employer.
	Due to the international focus of its work, DFID has only a few functions which provide services to the UK public. The Department has set up systems to assess, review and monitor its policies and practices including as an employer so as to ensure compliance with the Act.
	The results of this monitoring will be published annually, with the first report expected in the last quarter of 2003. It will be placed on the DFID website and be made available in hard copy on request.
	DFID has three non-departmental public bodies. Systems are in place to monitor their recruitment policies and practices. The principles of equal opportunity and diversity apply within the appointments process at all stages, and care is taken not to discriminate on the grounds of gender, race, age, disability, religion, marital status, sexual orientation or community background. All appointments to these non-departmental public bodies are made on merit.

Widows

Tony Colman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what financial assistance the Department is providing to projects to help widows in (a) Afghanistan, (b) Iraq, (c) Nigeria and (d) Angola.

Hilary Benn: DFID supports a number of projects in Afghanistan, Iraq and Nigeria to assist women; these are detailed as follows. DFID also provides un-earmarked core funding to UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fund for Women), which will be £3.6 million in 2003. This supports a partnership set out in an Institutional Strategy Paper agreed with UNIFEM in 1999. Women's human rights are central to all UNIFEM's programmes.
	In Afghanistan DFID's assistance strategy targets vulnerable people, particularly women, who are in need of direct assistance. The World Food Programme, which DFID has funded as part of the strategy, runs employment projects solely for vulnerable women. These projects, such as bakery co-operatives and small farms, are run in both urban and rural areas. DFID provided £4.7 million to WFP in 2002–03.
	This year DFID is also providing support to other projects that are targeted at vulnerable women; £200,000 to a micro-finance initiative run in Afghanistan by the Bangladeshi Rural Advancement Committee, and £1 million to an Aga Khan Network project for improving livelihood opportunities in Badakhshan province. This assistance is targeted at vulnerable women in general, rather than specifically at widows.
	In Iraq, DFID has provided £819,000 to the NGO 4RS since 1999 for their work with widows and vulnerable households headed by women. Their work includes income generation projects in the Kirkuk area of northern Iraq and in particular the Anfal widows. In addition DFID has provided £105,673 to 4RS for their work to assist displaced unsupported women in northern Iraq during the recent conflict.
	In Nigeria, DFID has provided £5,000 during the last six months to train 1,000 widows through the Access to Justice programme operating in Enugu state. A further 1,000 widows will receive training during the coming six months at a cost of £3,700.
	In Angola, DFID has no projects directly aimed at helping widows, but our £8 million Angola country programme focuses on reducing poverty for all Angolans and we are increasingly working with the Government of Angola to help it meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Widows

Tony Colman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assistance the Department is providing (a) directly, (b) through its partner organisations and (c) through NGOs to include widows in the future development of institutions and local government in (i) Afghanistan, (ii) Iraq, (iii) Nigeria and (iv) Angola.

Hilary Benn: DFID's longer-term development work on institutional and governmental reform and capacity building in Afghanistan focuses on reform of the institutions for the benefit of all poor or disadvantaged people, especially women, but not specific groups such as widows.
	The Government is committed to including women in the reconstruction of Iraq, in line with UN Resolution 1325. DFID and other Departments are talking to a range of women's groups within and outside Iraq to ensure women are well represented in planning and reconstruction issues at all levels, and that they play a full role in shaping the new Iraq.
	In Nigeria the Access to Justice programme training for widows is aimed at empowering widows to challenge those who persist in harmful and illegal practices associated with widowhood.
	In Angola DFID's country programme focuses on improving governance and reducing poverty for all Angolans.

World Trade Conference, Cancun

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment he has made of the possible benefits for developing countries resulting from the Fifth World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference in Cancun in September.

Hilary Benn: The 5th World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference in Cancun this September will take stock of progress on delivering the 'development' agenda for the "current" round of multilateral trade negotiations launched in Doha in November 2001. WTO Ministers will be required to take decisions on issues of critical importance to developing countries such as reform of global agricultural trade and what special treatment different developing countries should receive.
	The benefits of the Doha round for developing countries will depend on the final outcome at the scheduled conclusion of the negotiations on 1 January 2005. It is widely acknowledge that multilateral trade reform can have significant benefits for developing countries. For example, the World Bank estimates that eliminating all barriers to trade in goods would generate an extra US$250 billion–US$620 billion in global income, up to half of which would go to developing countries. In terms of poverty reduction, this could lift over 300 million people out of poverty by 2015.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Postal Service

David Winnick: To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what progress the Committee has made with examining the question of the time limit for collecting hon. Members' post for delivery the following day.

Marion Roe: Royal Mail is carrying out an internal audit on the possibility of resuming later collections of parliamentary mail. This assessment is due to be completed shortly and my Committee expects to receive a response from Royal Mail later this month.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Environmental Liability Insurance

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the placing on businesses of a requirement for compulsory environmental liability insurance; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: The Government seeks an Environmental Liability Directive that delivers clear environmental benefits and is equitable, proportionate, clear, insurable and easy to implement. In Council negotiations we have made it clear that we will not support proposals that would damage business competitiveness while lacking a clear focus on achieving environmental gain.
	The assessment of the implications of compulsory financial security was carried out by my Department in consultation with business generally, with the insurance industry, and with other relevant Government Departments. It revealed that the cost to UK businesses of a compulsory insurance requirement could range from £130 million to £1.8 billion per annum. These costs would far outweigh the environmental benefits of the Directive, as evaluated in the Department's Extended Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment (COM(02)17). These factors point strongly against such a requirement. The Government's policy therefore is not to support compulsory financial security.

Correspondence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

Alun Michael: When Defra was created in June 2001 the Ministerial Correspondence Unit consisted of eight permanent members of staff. More staff were appointed in the following months to deal with the vastly increased volume of letters received following the creation of the new Department and on the foot and mouth disease outbreak. Staff rose to a peak of 26 in May 2002 and consisted of a combination of permanent and temporary staff. The Unit currently consists of 15 members of staff, eight of whom are permanent and seven of whom are employed on casual contracts.

Departmental Agriculture Staff

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will estimate the number of whole-time equivalent staff dedicated to agriculture in her Department.

Alun Michael: The number of permanent Defra staff (on a full-time basis at 1 April 2003) in a relevant work units in Defra is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Agricultural Resources and Better Regulation Division 25 
			 Animal Health and Welfare Directorate General 668 
			 Conservation Management Division 37 
			 Food Industry and Crops Directorate 356 
			 Land Management Improvement Division 23 
			 Organics, Forestry and Industrial Crops Division 30 
			 Rural Development Service 1,358 
			 Science Directorate 105 
			 State Veterinary Service 1,254 
			 Sustainable Agriculture and Livestock Products Directorate 115 
		
	
	Some of these staff have responsibilities that do not relate exclusively to agriculture, but that could be quantified only at disproportionate cost.

Disease Risk Insurance

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement of her Department's policy towards compulsory disease risk insurance for farmers.

Elliot Morley: The Government has no current plans to introduce a policy of compulsory disease risk insurance for farmers. However, the Government is preparing to consult stakeholders on proposals for an animal disease levy. We hope to launch this consultation later this summer.

Farms

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the viability and number of farm business tenancies.

Alun Michael: The Government believes that the tenanted sector has an important role to play in developing a sustainable and diverse future for the farming industry. Many Farm Business Tenancies are too short to provide the security a tenant needs to develop and diversify their businesses. That is why the Government asked the Tenancy Reform Industry Group to put forward proposals for tenancy reform. The Tenancy Reform Industry Group has reached an industry consensus on these issues and its report to Government was published on 3 June. We have welcomed the report and will be considering the Tenancy Reform Industry Group recommendations carefully.
	The June Agricultural Census shows that there were just over 12,300 Farm Business Tenancies in England at June 2002. The recently published results of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers' Annual Tenanted Farms Survey for 2002 shows that in England and Wales some 18,200 hectares of previously un-let land have been let on Farm Business Tenancies. After taking account of losses of let land during the survey period there has been a net gain to the tenanted sector of some 10,500 hectares. The Central Association of Agricultural Valuers' survey also shows that the average length of a Farm Business Tenancy is just under 4 years and that some 80 per cent. of lets involve bare land.

Local Food Initiatives

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on help available to those wishing to develop local food chains or food links, with particular reference to Gloucestershire.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 12 June 2003
	We recognise the benefits that local food can bring and are keen to encourage the development of a sustainable local food sector. Funding under the England Rural Development Programme (ERDP) is available to support a range of local food initiatives. For example, we have made money available under the Rural Enterprise Scheme of the ERDP for a three year project to establish a Gloucestershire Farmers' Market Group which will help in the setting up of new markets, create a website and provide a one-stop advice service for local producers in the county. We will continue to deploy our various funding schemes to encourage a flourishing local food sector.
	This activity complements measures at a local level carried out by regionally based organisations, such as the work, supported by the Government Office for the South West, to draw up an integrated food policy for Gloucestershire under the Gloucestershire Food Vision initiative.

Foot and Mouth

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when foot and mouth disease simulation exercises have taken place in each animal health divisional office area in each of the last five years.

Elliot Morley: Foot and mouth disease exercises have taken place in Animal Health Division Offices as shown in the table. Exercises focused on other diseases have also taken place over the same period. In addition the readiness of these offices to deal with an outbreak of exotic disease was developed and tested during the outbreak of classical swine fever in 2000 and foot and mouth disease in 2001 and in dealing with suspect cases over the whole period.
	
		
			 England 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Bury St. Edmunds 1 — 1 — — 1 
			 Carlisle — — — — 3 — 
			 Chelmsford — — 1 — — — 
			 Exeter — — — — — 1 
			 Gloucester — — — — — 1 
			 Leeds — — — 1 3 — 
			 Leicester 3 — — — 1 1 
			 Lincoln — — — — — 1 
			 Newcastle (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 2 — 
			 Preston — — — — 1 — 
			 Reading 1 — — — — — 
			 Reigate 1 — 1 — — — 
			 Stafford — — — — — — 
			 Taunton — — — 1 1 — 
			 Truro — — — — 1 — 
			 Worcester 1 1 — — 2 4 
			 Scotland — — — — — — 
			 Ayr — 1 — — — 1 
			 Galashiels — 1 — — 1 — 
			 Inverness 1 — — 1 — 2 
			 Inverurie — 1 — — — 1 
			 Perth 1 — — — — 1 
			 Wales — — — — — — 
			 Caernarvon — 1 1 — — — 
			 Cardiff — 1 1 — — — 
			 Carmarthen — — 1 — — — 
			 Total 9 7 6 3 15 14 
		
	
	(1) Newcastle AHDO was not established until August 2002

Illegal Imports

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 4 June 2003, ref 116075, what quantities of animal and plant products she estimates have been illegally imported into the UK over the last three years for which figures are available; what products were involved; how many (a) prosecutions were brought and (b) cautions were issued; and what the resulting penalties were.

Elliot Morley: The Veterinary Laboratories Agency published a risk assessment report on 25 March 2003. This estimated the amount of illegal meat imported annually, on average, to be 7,500 tonnes, with 90 per cent. certainty that the amount of illegal meat imported will range from 2,800 tonnes to 17,500 tonnes per year. Copies of the report have been placed in the House Libraries.
	A huge range of products are seized including a wide variety of meats, fish, sausages, honey, plants and seeds. Examples of meat products seized can be found in the risk assessment at appendix 2.
	Figures for prosecutions prior to the transfer of all anti-smuggling controls to HM Customs and Excise on 11 April 2003, were not held centrally. We are aware of one successful prosecution brought by Crawley borough council in July 2002, which resulted in a £150 fine and £100 costs. In September 2001, HM Customs and Excise brought a prosecution for the illegal importation of bushmeat derived from endangered species. The offender was found not guilty of these offences, but was however found guilty of an offence under Products of Animal Origin (Third Country Imports) (England) Regulations. The Corporation of London Port Health Authority issued six cautions in October 2002.
	HM Customs and Excise, who took responsibility for anti smuggling controls on meat from 11 April 2003, will prosecute in the most serious cases.

Live Animal Exports

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to ensure that animals which are unfit for transport are not exported from the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: Health and welfare rules for the intra-Community movement of live animals require animals to be fit for the intended journey in accordance with the provisions of directive 91/628/EEC on the protection of animals during transport. An official veterinary surgeon must inspect animals before transport and must certify that they are healthy and fit for the intended journey. In addition, there may be checks by inspectors at the time of loading onto the vehicle or at the port of departure. Information about checks on sheep and pigs exported for fattening or slaughter are available on the Defra website (www.defra.gov.uk).

Mersey Forest Project

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the contribution made by the Mersey Forest Project to (a) attracting new businesses and tourists to the region and (b) encouraging more people to participate in outdoor activities;
	(2)  what contribution has been made by the Mersey Forest Project towards reclaiming derelict land.

Alun Michael: The Mersey Forest project is one of 12 Community Forests set up under the Countryside Agency's Community Forest Programme. The North West Regional Economic Strategy identifies the Mersey Forest, and other forestry projects in the Region, as factors that are helping to create the right conditions for inward investment, regeneration, tourist development and overall quality of life. In order to evaluate the programme the Agency has commissioned a range of independent research projects. These projects have identified a number of contributions that the Mersey Forest has made, or is making.
	The research has shown that the Mersey Forest and the Red Rose Forest (around Manchester) are identified, among other projects, as having a role to play in helping to reposition the region's image for attracting businesses and tourists to the region. The Mersey Forest project has helped develop an integrated approach to the development of rural businesses and the management of the landscape in which they work. In order to encourage more people to participate in outdoor activities, the Mersey Forest has created a network and support structure for the Mersey Forest Friends groups, which are self-managing and are given support to undertake the sustainable management of their local woodlands. In addition, the Mersey Forest's "Schools Ground Development" programme was established to create wooded play areas surrounding schools. Events to encourage outdoor activities include nature walks, moonlight walks, forest survival, volunteer days and play schemes. I understand that forest based activities have increased by 600 per cent. in the last 10 years.
	The research indicates that the Mersey and Red Rose Forests have been involved in pioneering work on closed landfill sites, establishing new methodologies for assessing sites and determining their suitability for woodland. I understand that 12 per cent. of the derelict land (4,000 hectares) within the Mersey Forest area has been reclaimed, of which some 65 hectares of woodland was planted on damaged or disturbed ground in 2001. The Mersey Forest (in association with the Red Rose Forest, the Forestry Commission, the North West Development Agency and the Environment Agency) is using the Capital Modernisation Fund to deliver community woodland on derelict, under utilised and neglected land.

Mersey Forest Project

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what arrangements she intends to put in place for the continued funding of the Mersey Forest Project after 2005; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: The 12 Community Forests (including the Mersey Forest) set up under Community Forests Programme (administered by the Countryside Agency) were envisaged as pilot projects. Through this Programme the Countryside Agency planned to test out the idea that "community forestry" could provide signficant benefits for the local community. Partners in many other areas could apply the lessons learnt and promote community forestry projects without national support, while the continued existence of the twelve pilot forests would stand or fall on the basis of the value placed on them by organisations in their locality and region.
	The commitment to support the pilot Community Forest projects was for a period of 10 years from 1995. I am considering the current position in the light of the development of regional agendas and strategies, including Regional Forestry Frameworks that are being brought together by the Forestry Commission. These frameworks will be owned by Government Offices and Regional Development Agencies. It appears likely that the Regional Forestry Frameworks will be the main vehicle for securing regional ownership for a mainstream role for community forestry in Government Office and Regional Development Agency strategies and future business plans.

On-farm Storage

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what regulations there are on the on-farm storage of foodstuffs near to animal by-products.

Elliot Morley: The Animal By-Products Order 1999 (as amended) imposes strict controls that require animal by-products to be treated or disposed of safely and without undue delay. It also makes it an offence (other livestock feed controls notwithstanding) to allow ruminant animals, pigs or poultry to have access to any unrendered animal by-products. Similar controls will apply under the new EU Animal By-Products Regulation. Under separate food hygiene legislation, farmers are required to protect foodstuffs stored on farm from contamination.

Pay Audits

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made on completing a pay audit in her Department and its non-departmental public bodies to measure any disadvantage in terms of remuneration for (a) women, (b) ethnic minorities and (c) people with disabilities; and if she will publish the results of such an audit.

Alun Michael: In its response to the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) Task Force report, "Just Pay", the Government committed all Departments and agencies to review their pay systems by April 2003 and prepare action plans to close any equal pay gaps.
	The position in Defra and its agencies is as follows:
	Defra
	Defra has undertaken an Equal Pay Review in line with the guidance from the Cabinet Office. This has included the Pesticides Safety Directorate and Veterinary Medicines Directorate, for which the core Department has pay remit and negotiating responsibility.
	The Defra Equal Pay Review covered pay related issues in terms of gender, ethnicity and disability. A draft action plan was submitted to the Cabinet Office by the deadline of 30 April 2003. Defra senior management are considering the review's conclusions and the ways in which the action plan can be implemented. This will include liaison with the Cabinet Office. Once these discussions have been concluded, a copy of the Defra action plan will be placed in the House of Commons Library.
	AGENCIES
	Central Science Laboratory
	The Central Science Laboratory commenced an Equal Pay Audit in autumn 2002, to be carried out in line with Cabinet Office guidance. A joint review team was established with the trades union side and a CSL Equal Pay Policy has been agreed. An organisational action plan has been completed in line with Cabinet Office guidance issued in March 2003 and was submitted to Cabinet Office in May 2003. CSL will continue to liaise with the trades unions as part of an on-going review of equal pay within the agency.
	Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
	An Equal Pay Review has been carried out in the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, and a draft report is being considered by senior management.
	Rural Payments Agency
	The Rural Payments Agency has completed out an Equal Pay Review in accordance with the Cabinet Office guidance. The Review's conclusions are being considered by senior management and the trade unions. The RPA will submit an action plan to the Cabinet Office shortly. Veterinary Laboratories Agency
	The Veterinary Laboratory Agency pay equality audit has been completed and an action plan sent to the Cabinet Office. Any action necessary will be considered within the pay negotiations for 2003.
	NON-DEPARTMENTAL PUBLIC BODIES
	Non-departmental public bodies are not required to undertake an Equal Pay Review by April 2003, although several have done so.

"Pub is the Hub"

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding was (a) available and (b) spent on "Pub is the Hub" schemes in each of the last four years.

Alun Michael: There is not a specific "Pub is the Hub" scheme. A good practice guide of that title was published in December 2001 to inspire rural pubs to diversify their services. However, the Vital Villages Community Service Grant, administered by the Countryside Agency on behalf of Defra, can be used to fund "Pub is the Hub" style projects. Levels of funding for this type of project since April 2001, when Vital Villages was launched, were £9,048 for 2001–02 and £14,262 for 2002–03. In this financial year, £25,000 has been spent so far.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the environmental impact arising from (a) paints containing a high amount of volatile solvents, (b) adhesives and sealants marketed for use in the home, (c) laminate, (d) vinyl, (e) PVC plastic and (f) rubber flooring; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: I assume that this question is about the environmental impact in terms of emissions of non-methane volatile organic compounds from making use of the products listed.
	The National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory gives the total of emissions to atmosphere in the UK of non-methane volatile organic solvents in the year 2000 as 1676 kilotonnes. Separate research conducted for us by ENTEC suggests that of this total about 50 kilotonnes of emissions were from decorative paints, and less than 1 kilotonne from the domestic use of adhesives and sealants. Emissions from the other products listed were not identified separately.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent research she has conducted into the environmental impact of spray furniture polish; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: I assume this question concerns the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) a common constituent of aerosol products and a known contributor to the formation of tropospheric ozone which has been widely researched, and which is known to cause damage to ecosystems and to human health, primarily to the respiratory system.
	Since 1990 overall UK emissions of VOCs have fallen by approximately 44 per cent. to 1514 kilotonnes in 2001. Under the National Emission Ceilings Directive we are committed to further reductions to 1200 kilotonnes by 2010.
	Estimated emissions of VOCs from aerosol household products makes up about 0.5 per cent. of total UK VOC emissions. This amounts to approximately eight kilotonnes out of the 2001 total of 1514 kilotonnes. Spray furniture polish constitutes a relatively small proportion of the total aerosol household products category.

Supermarkets

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had and representations she has received on take-over proposals in the supermarket industry, and the ramifications for (a) producers and (b) consumers.

Elliot Morley: Defra Ministers have been in recent correspondence with the competition authorities about this subject and have also touched upon the matter in the course of discussions on other subjects with various industry stakeholders.
	Responsibility for Government policy on competition issues is a matter for the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

West African Fisheries

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she is taking to encourage a sustainable EU policy towards the exploitation of West African fish stocks through third party agreements.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 9 June 2003
	The UK regularly urges the Commission to ensure that third country fisheries agreements provide value for money, promote environmentally sustainable fishing and are coherent with Community development policy.

TRANSPORT

Ports

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to make using British ports more attractive to merchant shipping.

David Jamieson: Our policy aims for ports are to promote competitiveness, high national safety standards and best environmental practice. 'Modern Ports', published in November 2000, set out a range of specific initiatives designed to help the ports industry rise to challenges it faces, and we are making good progress on these. We are also working with European partners and the UK industry to promote and develop effective, efficient and sustainable coastal and short sea shipping.

Ports

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what financial assistance has been given to the British ports sector since 1997 to improve services; and if he will make a statement on proposals to increase the number of large ports in the UK.

David Jamieson: In general we believe that port developments should not need public subsidy, but each case is judged on its merits and if there is evidence of market failure and the project offers worthwhile economic and/or environmental benefits, it may qualify for an element of public funding. For example, since 1997 the Government has awarded three freight grants worth a total of over £15 million to three UK ports to assist with capital projects designed to remove freight from road and onto to water. Information on other possible sources of public funding given to ports is not held centrally. Proposals to develop new ports are primarily matters for the private sector companies involved, subject to obtaining the statutory consents required.

Departmental Website

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what actions he has taken or is taking to ensure that the websites of his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies are accessible to partially sighted and blind people; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: My Department's website (www.dft.gov.uk) follows the Office of the e-Envoy's Guidelines for UK Government websites to provide an accessible web site for partially sighted and blind people.
	My Department will soon be replacing its website. The new site has been developed based on the Office of the e-Envoy's Guidelines but we have also designed it to take into consideration the way screen readers work by conducting rigorous screen reader testing using JAWS for Windows software. It has improved accessibility for partially sighted and blind people through the use of the access key system throughout the site on the most commonly used links. It has been rigorously tested so that the HTML conforms to the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibility Initiative's AA standard. In addition, the site has been tested using the BOBBY analysing application, a well-known test of accessibility.
	Agencies and non-departmental bodies are encouraged to follow the Government Guidelines.

Air Transport

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many responses had been received as of 31 May in response to (a) the consultation document, "Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: A National Consultation" and (b) each of the regional consultation documents on the "Future Development of Air Transport" in the United Kingdom, broken down by region.

David Jamieson: To date we have received over 140,000 responses to the consultation from across the UK. A breakdown by region is set out in the following table.
	
		
			 Region NOP Responses E-mails andletters received 
		
		
			 Scotland 1,080 520 
			 South East 25,100 41,600 
			 Midlands 22,390 44,200 
			 North of England 3,550 890 
			 South West 1,460 970 
			 Wales 130 280 
			 Northern Ireland 170 120 
			 Total 53,880 88,580

Air Transport

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many copies of the (a) main document and (b) summary of the consultation documents (i) "Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: A National Consultation", (ii) "Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: North of England", (iii) "Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: South West", (iv) "Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: Midlands", (v) "Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: Wales" and (vi) "Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: South East" had been (A) issued in hard copy and (B) downloaded from the website, by 31 May;
	(2)  how many copies of the (a) main document and (b) summary of the (i) national and (ii) regional consultation documents on "Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom" have been issued in hard copy as a result of each exhibition which has taken place to promote the consultation, as of 31 May.

David Jamieson: The following summary and main consultation documents have been distributed since the start of the consultation to 31 May.
	
		
			   Main documents  Summary documents 
			  Hardcopy Downloaded Hardcopy Downloaded 
		
		
			 Midlands 37,210 11,330 46,850 12,680 
			 Northern Ireland 4,680 4,160 9,520 3,180 
			 North of England 13,490 15,720 48,990 8,810 
			 Scotland 6,230 12,460 12,200 19,680 
			 South East 57,970 96,800 198,940 89,490 
			 South West 5,850 9,870 14,430 9,860 
			 Wales 4,510 3,330 5,980 2,720 
		
	
	Note:
	All figures rounded to the nearest 10.
	The number of documents distributed at exhibitions is not available, but the figures in the table are inclusive of them.

Air Transport

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost to his Department has been of (a) the exhibitions promoting the consultation documents on the "Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom" and (b) the printing costs relating to the publication of the consultation documents, as of 31 May.

David Jamieson: As part of "The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom" consultation, 18 public exhibitions were held on the major airport development options. The cost of these was £1.1 million —this includes the cost of the two recent exhibitions on the Gatwick airport options. The cost of printing the consultation documents covering the whole of the UK, including the South East second edition paper, was £940,000.

Airline Security

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent progress has been made in implementing the Wheeler Report on airline security, with specific reference to the concept of sky marshals.

David Jamieson: A substantial programme of work is in hand to implement Sir John Wheeler's recommendations on airport security. These ranged widely across measures to strengthen security on the ground, to address through more co-ordinated assessments any potential vulnerabilities arising from serious and organised crime at airports, and to improve the overall strategic direction of airport security. Useful progress is being made in all of these areas.
	Sir John's review was confined to security at airports rather than in the air. The Government announced on 19 December last year the development of a capability to place covert, specially trained armed police officers aboard UK civil aircraft, should that be warranted.

Airport Consultation (Midlands)

John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide guidance to under 16-year-old consultees wishing to respond to the airport consultation process for the midlands; and for what reason the lowest age category exhibited on the questionnaire is 16 to 24 years.

David Jamieson: We welcome views from all consultees, irrespective of age, and many people under 16 have already responded to the consultation in a variety of ways, including letters and petitions. There is no age eligibility criterion for completing the airports' questionnaire and all views will be given serious consideration in the analysis of responses.

Asbestos

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the actions his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies are taking to comply with the requirements of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002; whether he has made an estimate of the cost of compliance; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The responsibility for taking action to comply with the requirements of the Control of Asbestos Work Regulations 2002 are delegated to the managers of the individual Property Centres within the Department. The action taken will depend on the nature of the property centres' occupancy of the buildings, whether or not asbestos has been found, where it is located and its quantity.
	The Department's Headquarters building in London contains no asbestos but some has been identified in a number of buildings on the Agencies' estate. Where asbestos has been found its existence has been entered onto asbestos registers and specialist consultants or contractors handle its management or removal.
	Information about estimates for the cost of compliance and asbestos in non-departmental public bodies is not available and to obtain this would involve disproportionate cost.

Warsaw Convention

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which airlines flying into and out of the UK have (a) fully waived, (b) partially waived and (c) not waived their rights under the Warsaw Convention to (i) limit compensation payable in respect of passengers injured or killed while travelling with them and (ii) refused to pay compensation for psychiatric injury; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: There are approximately 113 non-EEA airlines regularly operating services to and from the UK. Of these the following are known to have waived certain rights under the Warsaw Convention.
	Aeroflot Russian Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air Mauritius, Air New Zealand, American Airlines, American Trans Air, Asiana Airlines, Avianca, Cathay Pacific, Continental Airlines, Croatia Airlines, CSA—Czech Airlines, Cubana de Aviacion, Cyprus Airways, Delta Airlines, Egyptair, Estonian Air, Eurocypria Airlines, Kenya Airways, Korean Air Lines, Lithuanian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Malev Hungarian Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Qantas Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Brunei Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Thai Airways International, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, UPS Airlines, US Airways, Varig SA.
	These airlines have waived their rights in relation to compensation payable in respect of passengers injured or killed while travelling with them. The Warsaw Convention makes no specific provision for compensation for psychiatric injury. In some jurisdictions, including the UK, compensation for psychiatric injury is possible when it is associated with physical injury.
	Community air carriers and airlines based in Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland are subject to the provisions of Regulation 2027–97, which removes all limits of liability for passenger death and injury.

Warsaw Convention

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress of reform of the Athens Convention.

David Jamieson: A Diplomatic Conference at the International Maritime Organization in October 2002, considered a draft amendment to the Athens Convention Relating to the Carriage of Passengers and Their Luggage By Sea, 1974. A draft instrument was duly adopted as the Athens Convention Relating to the Carriage of Passengers and Their Luggage By Sea, 2002. When in force, following ratification by 10 States, the 2002 Convention will significantly increase the amount of compensation available for death or personal injury claims to fare-paying passengers travelling on international services by sea. It will also make it easier for claimants to access compensation through a requirement on ship owners to maintain insurance cover, and by means of a right of direct action against the ship owner's insurer. The UK actively participated in the Conference and welcomes its outcome. The Government is currently exploring legislative options for implementation of the Convention in the UK.

Energy Efficiency

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the targets he has set to improve energy efficiency within his Department; and what steps are being taken to achieve these targets.

David Jamieson: I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the then Under Secretary for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 9 June 2003, Official Report, column 581W.

Mail Transportation

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with (a) Royal Mail and (b) EWS concerning the transport of mail by rail.

David Jamieson: My right. hon. Friend has spoken to EWS and others on several occasions in relation to rail freight.

Marine Accident and Investigation Branch

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Marine Accident and Investigation Branch reports have been published in each year since 1998.

David Jamieson: Since 1998 the numbers of Marine Accident Investigation Branch reports that have been published are:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1998 5 
			 1999 27 
			 2000 40 
			 2001 42 
			 2002 40 
			 2003 (2)15 
		
	
	(2) to 12 June

Marine Accident and Investigation Branch

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to release the Marine Accident and Investigation Branch report into the sinking of the Solway Harvester.

David Jamieson: A summary report of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch's investigation of the loss of the Solway Harvester with seven lives was published on 13 June 2003. The full report will follow the conclusion of criminal legal proceedings in the Isle of Man.

Marine Accident and Investigation Branch

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met Isle of Man police to discuss the timing of the Marine Accident and Investigation Branch report into the sinking of the Solway Harvester.

David Jamieson: The Secretary of State for Transport has had no meetings with the Isle of Man police in connection with the Marine Accident Investigation Branch's report of the loss of the Solway Harvester.

Mersey Tunnels

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when in each of the last 10 years he received the accounts of income and expenditure of the Mersey tunnels.

David Jamieson: These details are provided in Merseytravel's Revenue Outturn forms which are submitted annually to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (and in previous years to its predecessor departments).

Mersey Tunnels

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the extent to which central Government funds given to the Mersey Tunnels have been spent on (a) the Mersey Ferries and (b) other purposes in the last five years.

David Jamieson: The Government do not provide funding direct to the Mersey Tunnels. Central Government funding is provided to Merseytravel as the passenger transport authority for Merseyside.

Mobile Phones

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has commissioned into the number of deaths caused by drivers using mobile phones in England in each of the last five years.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 3 March 2003, Official Report, column 800W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Leyton and Wanstead (Harry Cohen).

Multi-modal Studies

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of (a) the expected travel time savings for (i) public transport users and (ii) motorists and (b) the expected effect upon carbon dioxide emissions resulting from the implementation of each of the multi-modal study recommendations announced in his statement to the House of 10 December 2002, Official Report, columns 155–58; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Assessments of travel time savings and carbon dioxide impacts for the multi-modal studies, on which we announced our conclusions in December 2002, were made by each study for the strategy as a whole rather than for individual schemes. Full assessments of travel time savings and carbon dioxide impacts of individual schemes will be produced by the relevant delivery agency as scheme proposals are developed in more detail. This work is currently in hand for the road schemes being taken forward by the Highways Agency.

Multi-modal Studies

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library the advice he has received from (a) the Countryside Agency, (b) the Environment Agency, (c) English Heritage and (d) English Nature on the multi-modal studies that have (a) concluded and (b) are shortly to conclude.

David Jamieson: The statutory environmental bodies have provided advice to study teams at various stages during the multi-modal study process. In addition, at the request of my Department, they have provided comments on the recommendations of the multi-modal studies which have issued final reports. Under part 2, paragraph 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, this advice is confidential.

Multi-modal Studies

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make a statement on his decisions regarding the outstanding multi-modal studies.

David Jamieson: We are currently considering the final report and recommendations from a number of multi-modal studies, together with the views of the respective regional planning bodies. We will make an announcement in due course.

National Air Traffic Services

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received from airline companies about National Air Traffic Services' performance; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Ministers have received no recent representations from airline companies about National Air Traffic Services' performance. NATS is a private sector company and I would expect any complaints to be made directly to its management or to the Civil Aviation Authority, its regulator.

Number Plate Cloning

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport further to his answer of 9 June 2003, Official Report, column 594W, what discussions he has had with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency concerning the detection and prosecution of motorists who clone licence plates.

David Jamieson: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has clear procedures in place to deal with instances where vehicle cloning is suspected. Agency Intelligence officers carry out initial investigations to establish whether there are in fact two vehicles displaying the same registration mark. Information is then passed to the police for further action where appropriate.

Official Spelling

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy that official (a) correspondence, (b) reports and (c) documentation from his office uses the English spelling of words where this differs from the US version.

David Jamieson: It is the Department's policy to use UK rather than American spelling of English words. Where we employ specialist proof readers, we direct them to use the Oxford English Dictionary as their reference. The spell check facility on our IT systems is set to the UK English dictionary. The Department also publishes guidance for staff on drafting in plain English.

Partnership Agreements

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to conclude a partnership agreement with the trade unions representing the staff in his Department.

David Jamieson: In my Department there is no partnership agreement. However, in the case of the Department's collective Agencies, DVLA operate a 'partnership agreement' with the Trade Unions.

Pensioners (Free Travel)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on reducing travel costs for pensioners.

David Jamieson: I would refer the hon. Member to my answer of 23 January 2003 Official Report, columns 508–09W. This Government has guaranteed that older people (over age 60) and disabled people are entitled to a free bus pass allowing half-fare travel on local buses, as a minimum. That is better than anything else provided previously. We have also recently introduced a half-fare for older people (over age 60) and disabled people on many scheduled coach services, in return for the operators of those services receiving grant from my Department.

Race Relations

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in his Department and non departmental public bodies on implementing the requirements of the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000; and if he will publish the results of the monitoring required by the Act.

David Jamieson: The Department for Transport is committed to valuing diversity and promoting equality. As a new Department, we published our first Race Equality Scheme—in agreement with the Commission for Racial Equality—on 31 March 2003. The Scheme will run for two years to bring it into line with those of other Departments. The Scheme covers the activities of the Department and its Executive Agencies as an employer as well as a policy maker and service provider. It also includes the non- departmental public bodies for which the Department is responsible.
	The Scheme has built on the results of extensive research, which the Department has carried out to identify the specific transport needs of people from different ethnic and faith communities.
	The Scheme includes a Race Equality Action Plan, which lists the key activities the Department will undertake through the two-year period of the Scheme. We will monitor, evaluate and consult on progress against these activities. We will review our progress and publish our findings. Each of the six Executive Agencies will develop their own Race Equality Action Plans by October 2003.

Rail Services

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he plans to review the future of the Stranraer to Glasgow rail link south of Girvan.

David Jamieson: Local rail services in Scotland, including those from Stranraer to Glasgow, are a devolved matter for the Scottish Executive.

Rail Services

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to review the case for a mainline railway station at Cairnryan.

David Jamieson: Local rail services in Scotland and consideration of the case for a mainline railway station at Cairnryan are devolved matters.

Road Building

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the Civil Engineering Contractors' Association about new road building projects.

David Jamieson: I am not aware of any formal representations from this Association but my right hon. Friend the then Minister of State for Transport met them in January of this year to discuss the 10-year plan for transport and the outcomes of the multi-modal studies.
	The Highways Agency regularly meets with the Association at a local level to discuss procurement issues and the current programme of work on the trunk road network.

Road Building

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates he has made of the level of Government spending needed to complete the road network consisting of the A6 bypass, Poynton bypass, and Manchester Eastern Link Route West compatible with the South East Manchester Multi Modal Study for each of the next eight years.

David Jamieson: The recommendations of the South East Manchester multi-modal study were accepted in March 2002 and the local authorities were invited to continue the detailed development of the proposed road schemes at a reduced scale than those remitted to the study. It will be for the local authorities to determine the priority and timetable to implement the schemes.

Road Safety

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans the Government have to introduce a speed hierarchy for rural roads; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Following the publication of the Rural Road Hierarchy report in November 2001 we are progressing work to improve safety across our rural road network. This includes the development of a framework to assess what speeds are appropriate together with surveys of what speeds are actually being driven on rural roads. This will feed into other work including a review of the guidance on setting speed limits towards the end of the year.

South Coast Multi-modal Study

Michael Jabez Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make a statement on the south coast multi-modal study report.

David Jamieson: We are currently considering the final report and recommendations from a number of multi-modal studies, including the south coast corridor multi-modal study, together with the views of the respective regional planning bodies. We expect to be in a position to make an announcement before the summer recess.

Speed Cameras

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many speed cameras were in use in each of the last five years broken down by (a) fixed and (b) mobile cameras and by police authority.

David Jamieson: That information is not held centrally.

Sustainable Development

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment is made (a) of the environmental impact and (b) against sustainable development criteria of bids for (i) grants and (ii) contracts awarded by his Department; who makes such an assessment; and whether these assessments are published.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 3 June 2003, Official Report, column 165W.

Transport (North Staffordshire)

George Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with (a) Advantage West Midland and (b) the Government Office for the West Midlands on transport provision in North Staffordshire.

David Jamieson: In response to the MidMan multi-modal study (MMS) and the draft Regional Planning Guidance (RPG) for the West Midlands, Staffordshire county council and Stoke-on-Trent city council are initiating a comprehensive transport study for North Staffordshire. This study will develop the specific transport measures, which will be required to respond to the challenges raised by the local regeneration strategy, the low demand housing pathfinder, and the urban renaissance which is at the heart of RPG.
	Advantage West Midlands (AWM), Government Office for the West Midlands (GOWM), and the Highways Agency (HA) are working with the local authorities and will be supporting the study financially and with specialist expertise. It is expected that the results of the study will feed into the next round of Local Transport Plans, due to be submitted in July 2005.

Transport and Social Exclusion

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what plans his Department has made for the implementation of accessibility planning promoted in the Special Exclusion Unit's report 'Making the Connections: Transport and Social Exclusion'; and what funding his Department has allocated to local authorities for this purpose;
	(2)  what the (a) remit, (b) membership and (c) timetable is of the working group set up to examine accessibility, auditing and planning referred to in paragraph 5.33 of the Social Exclusion Unit's report 'Making the Connections: Transport and Social Exclusion'.

David Jamieson: The remit of the Central-Local Working Group on Accessibility Planning is to develop, pilot and evaluate aspects of the accessibility planning process and to share good practice. The group comprises representatives from the Department for Transport, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Local Government Association, Association of Transport Co-ordinating Officers and Passenger Transport Executive Group. It also includes authorities that have been recognised for work of particular relevance to accessibility planning through the Beacon Council and Centres of Excellence initiatives and authorities that are piloting accessibility planning as part of the Department's research programme.
	The working group has met three times since publication of the SEU report in February 2003. It has agreed a forward work programme to inform departmental guidance to transport authorities on accessibility planning, to be published next year. Authorities preparing second Local Transport Plans (due in 2005) will be asked to lead accessibility planning and incorporate it into their next LTPs.
	No additional funding has been provided for this work. The intention of accessibility planning is to ensure that existing funding, for transport, other services and regeneration, is used more effectively to make it easier for people to get access to jobs and key services.

Transport and Social Exclusion

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for the dissemination of the findings of the Social Exclusion Unit's February 2003 report, Making Connections: Transport and Social Exclusion (a) to local authorities and (b) to other transport providers, including private operators; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Making the Connections report was widely disseminated. Approximately 4,000 copies were sent out via post and email to those involved in the consultation and to other interested parties. Copies were sent to every local authority (including Shire Districts, where appropriate) in Englanda copy to the Chief Executive and one to the person responsible for local transport planning (where appropriate)well as to all the members of the Confederation of Passenger Transport, which includes private operators. The report is also being sent to all local strategic partnerships.
	Ministers and officials have spoken at a wide range of events across the country which encompassed all sectors, such as transport planners, bus users, bus operators, community transport providers and the Local Government Association.

Transport Policies

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what strategy he uses to disseminate good practice in the areas of (a) public consultation, (b) design, (c) implementation, (d) maintenance and (e) marketing of transport policies to (i) local authorities, (ii) public transport operators and (iii) other transport operators; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: My Department aims to ensure that all individuals and organisations who contribute to, or are affected by, the delivery of its objectives are supplied with the information they need. In order to do this, it uses a variety of means to communicate with local authorities, the transport industries and other stakeholders, appropriate to the information being communicated and the target audience. These include direct dealings with individual authorities, companies, representative regulators, and professional and trade bodies, including trade unions; issuing of policy and technical guidance notes and publication of research; sponsorship of and participation in consultative committees and advisory forums; and dissemination of all types of information by paid publicity, press, broadcasting and new media.

Vehicle Excise Duty (Scotland)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many instances there were of vehicle excise duty evasion in Scotland, broken down by local authority, in each year since 1997.

David Jamieson: The figures for number of instances of VED evasion in Scotland for the years in question are as follows:
	
		Estimated vehicle excise duty evasion in Scotland
		
			  Vehicles evading (000s) 
		
		
			 199798 107.2 
			 199899 110.9 
			 19992000 106.9 
			 200001 110.9 
			 200102 118.6 
			 200203 126.4 
		
	
	The information requested as to breakdown by local authority could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Vehicle Excise Duty (Scotland)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the cost of vehicle excise duty evasion in Scotland, broken down by local authority, in each year since 1997.

David Jamieson: The figures for the cost of VED evasion in Scotland for the years in question are as follows:
	
		Estimated evasion in Scotland
		
			  Revenue evaded ( million) 
		
		
			 199798 12.5 
			 199899 13.2 
			 19992000 12.6 
			 200001 13.1 
			 200102 13.4 
			 200203 13.6 
		
	
	The information requested as to breakdown by local authority could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Restorative Justice

David Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his plans to extend the use of restorative justice with special reference to mediation and reparation.

Paul Goggins: The Government are keen to expand the use of restorative justice in the adult criminal justice system, as well as continuing to build on its success in the youth justice system. We will shortly publish a consultation document, which will outline our plans to increase the opportunity for mediation between offender and victims, and reparation to the community.

Anti-social Behaviour

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on combating anti-social behaviour.

Fiona Mactaggart: Home Office Ministers, the National Director of the Anti-social Behaviour Unit and Members have received wide-ranging representations through formal and informal meetings, visits, and correspondence with members of the public, voluntary organisations, business organisations and local authorities. This has ensured that the White Paper, Bill and the Government's overall drive to tackle anti-social behaviour is based on the experiences of local communities faced with anti-social behaviour from across the country.

Anti-social Behaviour

Eric Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding the attitude of magistrates to breaches of Anti-social Behaviour Orders.

Hazel Blears: We are aware that inconsistent sentences are being given for breaches of Anti-social Behaviour Orders around the country. To address this, the Home Office is working with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and Lord Chancellor Department (LCD) to draw up a protocol to ensure the court is made aware of the context of the anti-social behaviour on victims, witnesses, and communities when determining sentence. In addition, the Magistrate's Association is producing sentencing guidelines that are scheduled to be published this summer.

Drug Dealing

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to ensure that properties which have been taken over by Class A drug dealers are quickly closed.
	 Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question.

Caroline Flint: The Anti-social Behaviour Bill, which will be at Report Stage on 24 June 2003, contains as Part 1 the power to close premises where Class A drugs are being produced, used or supplied and there is serious nuisance.
	This power is principally aimed at tackling Crack Houses and has been designed to ensure that any premises where dealers can continue their activities unobserved, and even in safety, can be rapidly closed and their occupants removed. This action can, if necessary, be resolved in 48 hours, providing immediate relief to the community.

Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the operation of section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.

Beverley Hughes: Section 55, which came into operation on 8 January 2003, is one of a package of new measures to move towards a more streamlined and cohesive asylum system. Statistics on the operation of section 55 up to 31 March 2003 were published at the end of May 2003 and we are continuing to monitor the impact closely.

Prisons

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the Chief Inspector of Prisons to discuss prison overcrowding; and what the results of the discussions were.

Paul Goggins: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, Central (Hilary Benn) met Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons on several occasions in recent months. I met Anne Owers on 9 June 2003 when we discussed a range of issues, including population pressures in prisons.

Prisons

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many safe cells were installed in prisons in the past 12 months; and how many are planned to be installed in the next 12 months.

Paul Goggins: In the last 12 months, 847 safer cells were installed and 122 are planned for installation during the next 12 months.

Extradition (United States)

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the extradition treaty signed with the United States on 31 March.

Caroline Flint: The United States is our biggest single extradition partner so I am delighted that it has been possible to reach agreement on a new extradition treaty which modernises the 1977 and 1986 treaties. We hope that it will be possible to bring the new treaty into effect later this year.

Crack Cocaine

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to help communities which are affected by crack cocaine.

Caroline Flint: In December 2002, the Government published the first National Crack plan. It recognises the particular problems caused by crack cocaine and the need to take specific and focused actions to address them. The Plan requires action to prevent crack use, deal with the criminality and disorder associated with it and provide appropriate treatment for those using crack. That we are treating crack as a priority is illustrated by the power to close crack houses contained in the Anti-social Behaviour Bill. Premises, in particular crack houses which are venues for Class A drugs, to be supplied and used causing serious nuisance to the community and neighbours will be closed rapidly and effectively.
	As a whole, the resources available to fight drugs are increasing from 1.026 million in 200203 to 1.483 million in 200506. We will ensure that in this expansion all elements of the drug strategy apply to crack, enabling:
	increased activity to disrupt crack markets and close crack houses;
	new diversionary programmes for young people;
	an expansion in the quantity and improvement in the quality of crack treatment; and
	a raft of Criminal Justice interventions to get users into treatment.

EU Constitution

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the implications of the draft EU constitution for matters within his responsibilities.

David Blunkett: Existing treaties already provide for police and judicial co-operation and EU action on immigration and asylum. These were areas of co-operation begun by the Conservative Government.
	New treaty brings existing EU work into a single merged treaty structure. Negotiations continuing, treaty will be agreed at intergovernmental conference (IGC) by unanimity.

Cannabis

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what changes he estimates there will be in police expenditure in the next financial year following the reclassification of cannabis.

Caroline Flint: The reclassification of cannabis is designed to continue to deter the use of cannabis while allowing the police to redeploy their resources to tackling more serious offences, including dealing in Class A drugs. It is vital that the police direct their resourcing priorities to tackling drugs, such as heroin and crack cocaine, which cause the most harm and often lead to other crimes, and this is what the reclassification of cannabis will enable them to do.

Identity Cards

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultation he has had with the secretaries of the National Assembly for Wales regarding the UK-wide identity card.

Caroline Flint: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary contacted the First Minister prior to the publication of the consultation paper on entitlement cards and identity fraud. Contact has been maintained at official level, including arrangements to make the paper available to all the secretaries of the National Assembly when it was published.
	National Assembly officials are involved in ongoing discussions following the end of the consultation.

Crime Statistics (London)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the level of crime in (a) the London Borough of Havering and (b) other London boroughs.

Bob Ainsworth: In Havering, during the 12 months to March 2002, there was a total of 3,225 recorded violence against the person offences; 549 recorded robbery offences; 1,109 recorded domestic burglary offences; 1,883 recorded thefts of vehicles offences; and 2,374 recorded thefts from vehicles offences.
	Numbers of crimes recorded by the police, broken down by Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP), can be found in 'Crime in England and Wales 200102' (Home Office Statistical Bulletin 7/02), which is also available in the Library. Crime levels for Havering CDRP compared with other CDRPs in London are set out in the following table. The total level of crime for each CDRP is not currently published.
	
		
			  Violence against the person Sexual offences 
			 Crime and disorder reduction partnerships Note 1 Note 2 Note 3 Note 1 Note 2 Note 3 
		
		
			 Camden 5,473 2.7 27.0 416 30.8 2.1 
			 City of London 593 9.4 93.1 33 230.0 5.2 
			 City of Westminster 8,734 3.0 35.7 111 49.3 3.2 
			 Brent 5,688 -1.5 22.3 334 -1.5 1.3 
			 Baling 6,842 6.4 22.0 342 -0.6 1.1 
			 Greenwich 6,257 -0.8 28.7 361 5.2 1.7 
			 Hackney 6,702 6.0 33.0 370 -0.3 1.8 
			 Haringey 5,088 -2.2 22.6 492 14.2 2.2 
			 Islington 5,667 4.1 31.8 347 31.4 1.9 
			 Lambeth 8,232 4.1 29.8 544 -3.0 2.0 
			 Lewisham 5,501 3.2 22.4 389 4.6 1.6 
			 Newham 7,550 2.8 31.5 433 29.6 1.8 
			 Southwark 7,760 4.3 32.5 438 -1.4 1.8 
			 Tower Hamlets 6,390 7.1 34.2 347 -9.4 1.9 
			 Barnet 4,842 5.9 14.0 245 11.4 0.7 
			 Croydon 6,206 -1.9 18.3 384 -2.0 1.1 
			 Enfield 5,077 5.8 18.8 296 15.6 1.1 
			 Hammersmith  Fulham 4,283 -1.9 25.8 219 -1.4 1.3 
			 Harrow 2,658 7.8 12.4 118 -4.1 0.5 
			 Hillingdon 4,766 16.4 18.6 268 29.5 1.0 
			 Hounslow 5,798 6.7 27.2 279 13.9 1.3 
			 Kensington  Chelsea 3,063 -7.6 16.1 191 37.4 1.0 
			 Kingston Upon Thames 2,667 6.9 17.6 153 27.5 1.0 
			 Merton 3,153 7.5 16.6 187 58.5 1.0 
			 Redbridge 3,721 -0.9 15.9 240 23.7 1.0 
			 Richmond Upon Thames 2,115 6.2 10.8 112 19.1 0.6 
			 Waltham Forest 4,973 3.5 22.7 297 20.2 1.4 
			 Wandsworth 5,002 2.9 18.5 364 25.1 1.3 
			 Barking  Dagenham 3,941 9.4 25.3 211 0.5 1.4 
			 Bexley 3,339 4.1 15.1 222 17.5 1.0 
			 Bromley 3,843 1.1 12.7 232 24.7 0.8 
			 Havering 3,225 15.7 14.0 173 9.5 0.7 
			 Sutton 2,451 19.2 13.7 115 18.6 0.6 
		
	
	Note:
	1. Offences recorded 200102
	2. Change 200001 to 200102 (Percentage)
	3. Offences per 1,000 population
	
		
			  Robbery offences Burglary dwelling 
			 Crime and disorder reduction partnerships Note 1 Note 2 Note 3 Note 1 Note 2 Note 3 
		
		
			 Camden 2,439 28.0 12.0 3,216 9.6 15.9 
			 City of London 46 -13.2 7.2 39 -18.8 6.1 
			 City of Westminster 2,763 15.3 11.3 2,524 -0.2 10.3 
			 Brent 2,359 21.5 9.3 2,988 -10.5 11.7 
			 Baling 2,264 49.9 7.3 3,041 0.3 9.8 
			 Greenwich 750 59.9 3.4 1,733 -9.0 7.9 
			 Hackney 3,009 32.3 14.8 3,111 -0.6 15.3 
			 Haringey 2,626 12.2 11.7 3,835 26.7 17.0 
			 Islington 1,659 9.8 9.3 2,966 12.1 16.6 
			 Lambeth 6,465 37.8 23.4 5,414 14.0 19.6 
			 Lewisham 1,966 27.1 8.0 2,612 4.7 10.6 
			 Newham 2,400 14.0 10.0 2,316 25.9 9.7 
			 Southwark 3,086 42.7 12.9 3,276 21.4 13.7 
			 Tower Hamlets 2,117 20.5 11.3 1,900 1.2 10.2 
			 Barnet 1,335 28.2 3.9 2,615 -6.2 7.6 
			 Croydon 2,095 33.6 6.2 2,671 10.1 7.9 
			 Enfield 1,292 11.1 4.8 2,800 31.0 10.4 
			 Hammersmith  Fulham 1,343 47.4 8.1 2,008 -7.5 12.1 
			 Harrow 892 59.6 4.2 1,946 -8.3 9.1 
			 Hillingdon 645 36.7 2.5 2,340 -9.3 9.2 
			 Hounslow 1,042 45.3 4.9 1,843 -10.9 8.7 
			 Kensington  Chelsea 1,189 20.0 6.2 1,876 -26.7 9.9 
			 Kingston Upon Thames 318 29.8 2.1 646 -19.5 4.3 
			 Merton 634 59.7 3.3 1,141 6.2 6.0 
			 Redbridge 1,221 35.7 5.2 1,865 9.8 8.0 
			 Richmond Upon Thames 353 49.6 1.8 1,261 -16.2 6.5 
			 Waltham Forest 2,154 68.1 9.8 2,579 45.8 11.8 
			 Wandsworth 1,948 36.5 7.2 3,108 14.4 11.5 
			 Barking  Dagenham 861 17.8 5.5 1,274 25.6 8.2 
			 Bexley 501 20.1 2.3 1,041 -0.9 4.7 
			 Bromley 917 33.9 3.0 1,836 0.8 6.1 
			 Havering 549 40.1 2.4 1,109 23.6 4.8 
			 Sutton 339 41.3 1.9 1,039 34.2 5.8 
		
	
	Note
	1. Offences recorded 200102
	2. Change 200001 to 200102 (Percentage)
	3. Offences per 1,000 population
	
		
			  Theft of a motor vehicle Theft from a vehicle 
			 Crime and disorder reduction partnerships Note 1 Note 2 Note 3 Note 1 Note 2 Note 3 
		
		
			 Camden 2,127 4.6 10.5 6,837 17.2 33.7 
			 City of London 381 51.2 59.8 511 24.0 80.2 
			 City of Westminster 1,361 -17.8 5.6 5,137 11.9 21.0 
			 Brent 1,592 -7.1 6.2 2,985 2.7 11.7 
			 Baling 2,619 0.8 8.4 4,748 -7.6 15.2 
			 Greenwich 2,572 5.3 11.8 2,779 -4.6 12.7 
			 Hackney 2,809 -6.1 13.8 4,802 -5.9 23.7 
			 Haringey 2,697 -0.8 12.0 4,131 13.0 18.4 
			 Islington 2,573 5.1 14.4 4,584 1.9 25.7 
			 Lambeth 3,054 6.7 11.1 5,932 23.8 21.5 
			 Lewisham 2,161 -1.6 8.8 2,371 5.8 9.6 
			 Newham 3,846 -0.1 16.1 5,211 0.7 21.8 
			 Southwark 2,804 12.9 11.7 5,025 32.3 21.1 
			 Tower Hamlets 2,225 -9.8 11.9 5,091 16.4 27.3 
			 Barnet 1,447 -6.2 4.2 2,871 -13.2 8.3 
			 Croydon 2,530 -2.4 7.4 3,161 1.5 9.3 
			 Enfield 2,133 10.6 7.9 3,003 -8.0 11.1 
			 Hammersmith  Fulham 1,213 -5.3 7.3 4,805 8.5 28.9 
			 Harrow 867 16.5 4.0 1,551 -5.4 7.2 
			 Hillingdon 1,838 -7.1 7.2 3,396 -3.1 13.3 
			 Hounslow 1,412 -10.9 6.6 3,696 5.0 17.4 
			 Kensington  Chelsea 1,102 -25.6 5.8 3,335 16.3 17.5 
			 Kingston Upon Thames 389 -16.0 2.6 798 -20.5 5.3 
			 Merton 1,006 10.9 5.3 1,458 -4.2 7.7 
			 Redbridge 2,589 9.3 11.1 3,634 12.4 15.6 
			 Richmond Upon Thames 645 5.7 3.3 1,576 13.0 8.1 
			 Waltham Forest 2,082 1.6 9.5 3,050 11.0 13.9 
			 Wandsworth 2,006 2.6 7.4 4,148 -0.3 15.3 
			 Barking  Dagenham 1,667 -9.5 10.7 1,757 -3.6 11.3 
			 Bexley 1,784 0.2 8.1 2,029 -9.2 9.2 
			 Bromley 2,173 6.2 7.2 3,552 20.1 11.7 
			 Havering 1,883 2.2 8.2 2,374 10.8 10.3 
			 Sutton 864 -8.4 4.8 1,890 31.2 10.6 
		
	
	Note
	1. Offences recorded 200102
	2. Change 200001 to 200102 (Percentage)
	3. Offences per 1,000 population

Intelligence Sources

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place a copy of the Blelloch Report on the handling of intelligence sources in the Library.

Paul Murphy: I have been asked to reply.
	The Blelloch Report deals with matters of national security and its sensitivity precludes publication.

Justice and Home Affairs Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the outcome was of the Justice and Home Affairs Council held on 8 May; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: My noble Friend Lord Filkin represented the United Kingdom at the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council in Brussels on 8 May.
	The A points were approved as in document PTS A 21 (8922/03) (a copy of which has been placed in the Library). This included adoption of the Protocol amending the Convention on the use of information technology for customs purposes as regards the creation of a customs files identification database (known as FIDE) which Ministers subsequently signed in the margins of the Council.
	Ministers discussed the Directive on minimum standards for the qualification and status of third-country nationals and stateless persons as refugees or as persons who otherwise need international protection with a view to resolving the outstanding reservations. However, one member state in particular maintained reservations on the text, including the definition of a refugee and on the right and benefits to be accorded to those with subsidiary protection status. The Presidency reiterated its intention to seek agreement to the Directive at the June JHA Council.
	The Council agreed to exclude refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection from the scope of the Directive concerning the status of third country nationals who are long-term residents. This followed confirmation by the Commission that it would table by early 2004 a separate proposal for a Directive addressing the needs of those groups.
	The Presidency summarised progress on the follow up to the Seville European Council in view of the report to be submitted to the Thessaloniki European Council. The Commission reported on the implementation of the Afghan Returns Programme and the feasibility study on the Visa Information System which would be discussed at the June JHA Council. The Commission also confirmed that a Communication on international protection regimes would be prepared in time for that meeting. Lord Filkin urged member states to consider future priorities,asylum (including recent UK ideas); reduction of flows of illegal migrants into the EU; more effective co-operation with source countries on returns; and better financing for JHA external action, including proper integration of JHA needs into other EU programmes.
	The Presidency and Commission reported on the negotiations with Switzerland on participation in the Schengen Acquis and asylum measures, noting that they would be remitted to the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) and then discussed at the General Affairs and External Relations Council.
	The Presidency reaffirmed its intention to seek adoption at the June JHA Council of the Council Decision authorising signature of the Agreements between the EU and USA on extradition and mutual legal assistance, with signature to take place at the EU-US Summit on 25 June. However, it noted that domestic parliamentary scrutiny was on-going for several member states, including the UK. A number of member states, including the UK, also indicated that they were considering the need to make constitutional statements in accordance with Article 24 TEU. One member state sought further amendments to the Extradition Agreement.
	The Council reached a general approach on the Framework Decision on the application of the principle of mutual recognition to financial penalties. The Presidency said that the European Parliament would need to be re-consulted on the text and further discussions were required on the recitals and accompanying certificate. Five member states, including the UK, maintained parliamentary scrutiny reservations.
	The Council agreed the appointment of two Europol Deputy Directors, including a UK candidate.
	Under any other business, Ministers also took note of the Commission's proposal for a Common Position on notifying the Council of Europe of the forthcoming application of the Framework Decision establishing the European Arrest Warrant between the member states. The Council received an update on recent discussions in the G8 which had reviewed progress made in the fight against terrorism and organised crime. Finally, the Netherlands drew the Council's attention to its contribution to the discussions on judicial cooperation in the Future of Europe Convention.

Meat Imports

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what tonnage of legally imported meat was imported to the UK from (a) France, (b) Argentina and (c) Uruguay in 2002.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	Community legislation does permit imports of meat from France, Argentina and Uruguay. The table shows the tonnage of imported meat and meat preparations to the UK from (a) France, (b) Argentina and (c) Uruguay in 2002. Data on illegal imports are not available.
	
		Tonnage thousands
		
			 Country 2002 
		
		
			 France 143,276 
			 Argentina 24,652 
			 Uruguay 16,592 
		
	
	Note
	2002 EU data is provisional and subject to amendment.
	Source
	HM Customs and Excise. Data prepared by Statistics (Commodities and Food) Accounts and Trade, ESD, DEFRA

TREASURY

Cash Machines (Charges)

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will commission an assessment of the impact fee-charging cash machines have on those on low incomes.

John Healey: The Government are not currently planning to commission an assessment of the impact fee-charging cash machines have on those on low incomes.
	Issues regarding cash machines will, however, be considered as part of the Government's ongoing monitoring of payment system issues.

Cash Machines (Charges)

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will regulate fee-charging for ATM withdrawals.

John Healey: The Cruickshank report of March 2000 rejected the idea of directly regulating the retail charges for ATM cash withdrawals or banning such charges. The Government agrees with this finding and currently has no plans to regulate fee-charging for ATM withdrawals.
	The costs of providing unrestricted access to cash, 24 hours a day at thousands of locations around the country are considerable. It is a matter of commercial judgment for ATM owners whether to pass these costs on to customers in the form of retail charges. Such charges allow ATMs to be located where otherwise it would not be cost effective to do so. Nevertheless, the Government do not think that it would be appropriate for ATM owners to charge customers in excess of reasonable costs.
	Recent years have seen a large increase in the number of ATMsover 32 per cent. since March 2000. This expansion in the UK's network of ATMs has been to the benefit of consumers.
	The Government remain committed to introducing legislation to give the Office of Fair Trading new regulatory powers to promote effective competition in payment systemsand aims to do so as soon as parliamentary time allows. Issues relating to ATMs will be considered as part of this process.

Child Tax Credit

Peter Duncan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of eligible families are in receipt of child tax credit.

Dawn Primarolo: Statistics on awards of child and working tax credits will be published when figures are available.

Heroin

George Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the proportion of the UK heroin trade which originated in Afghanistan in each of the last 10 years.

John Healey: HM Customs and Excise estimates that in the last three years up to 95 per cent. of the heroin consumed in the United Kingdom originated from opium produced in Afghanistan. No estimate has been made for the years prior to that.

Mortgage Interest Relief

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to revise the regulations governing mortgage interest relief for people who took out a mortgage prior to October 1995 but have since remortgaged their property with a different lender.

Paul Boateng: Mortgage Interest Relief was withdrawn with effect from April 2000. This tax relief is now only given on loans, taken out before 9 March 1999, and used by people aged over 65 to purchase life annuities. These loans have to meet certain conditionsfor example, the loan must be secured on the borrower's main residence. Loans replacing such loans may also qualify for relief. There are no plans to change the rules governing this relief.

Terrorism

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on (a) progress made and (b) measures yet to be achieved in attaining satisfactory collaboration from (i) the banking and financial sector and (ii) national regulatory bodies of the member states of the United Nations in the war against terrorism.

Paul Boateng: The UK banking and financial sector gives the Government its fullest support in the fight against terrorism. UK institutions have successfully frozen some US$100 million of terrorist funds before and since 11 September and provide regular reports to the Bank of England on the totals held. Currently, around $58 million remains frozen.
	All the relevant institutions in UN member states work collaboratively to ensure that United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1373 (regarding terrorist financing generally) and 1390 (targeting the Taliban and al-Qaeda) are enforced.

Construction Industry

Alan Hurst: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax returns based upon the CIS4 scheme were received for the tax years (a) 19992000, (b) 200001 and (c) 200102.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of tax returns received relating to the Construction Industry Scheme in 200001 was 590,000. The figures for 19992000 cannot be accurately provided as this tax year included both the previous and current schemes, while the figures for 200102 are not yet available.

Construction Industry

Alan Hurst: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the loss to the National Insurance Fund resulting from wrongly defined self-employment in the construction industry in each tax year since 199091.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue has no information that can accurately provide an estimate of revenue which may have been lost in cases where the contract has not been categorised correctly.
	The tax and national insurance rules, which distinguish the employed from the self-employed, are intended to apply to all workers. The Inland Revenue polices compliance with those rules in all industries, including the construction industry, to ensure that people are paying their tax and national insurance contributions on the correct basis.

Construction Industry

Alan Hurst: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many CIS4 cards have been issued in each tax year since the inception of the scheme.

Dawn Primarolo: The figures for the number of CIS4 cards issued in each tax year since the scheme began are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 December 1998 to 5 April 2000 789,957 
			 6 April 2000 to 5 April 2001 229,630 
			 6 April 2001 to 5 April 2002 222,874 
			 6 April 2002 to 5 April 2003 272,104

Crown Estate

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many media officers have been employed by the Crown Estate in each year since 1985.

John Healey: The Crown Estate has employed a maximum of three media officers and one administrative support officer in any one year since 1985.

Dover Harbour Board

Christopher Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent the borrowing authorisation of 50.4 million of the Dover Harbour Board is included in the Government's PSBR; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: holding answer 10 June 2003
	Dover Harbour Board is classified to the public corporation sector in the national accounts. Thus spending and borrowing of Dover Harbour Board is public sector spending and borrowing, in particular its borrowing from the private sector is included in Public Sector Net Borrowing. While facilities to borrow do not themselves impact on PSNB the draw down of that facility to finance expenditure would.

Euro

Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his reasons are for deciding that it is not necessary to rejoin the ERM before joining the euro.

John Healey: I refer my hon. Friend to the Chancellor's Statement to the House on 9 June 2003.

Higher Rate Taxpayers

George Stevenson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the population liable for tax in (a) Stoke-on-Trent, South constituency and (b) Stoke-on-Trent unitary authority are (i) higher rate taxpayers and (ii) exempt from paying tax.

Dawn Primarolo: The information is given in the table below.
	
		Proportion of taxpayers in the area that have higher rate liability
		
			 Area Percentage 
		
		
			  
			  
			 (a) Stoke-on-Trent South Constituency 2 
			 (b) Stoke-on-Trent Unitary Authority 2 
		
	
	No one who is liable to tax is exempt from paying tax.
	The estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes 20002001

Inland Revenue (Technology Systems)

Edward Leigh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further steps have been taken since the Government's response to the Committee of Public Accounts' 38th Report of Session 200102, to encourage competition for the supply of information technology systems when the Inland Revenue's contracts with Accenture and Electronic Data Systems come up for renewal in 2004.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue has continued to work actively with the three short-listed bidders. A final version of the Invitation to Tender was issued on 13 December 2002 and the Department held a number of briefings with each bidder to help them respond to that document. All three bidders submitted comprehensive responses on 14 March 2003 and these are now being evaluated. The responses show that the IT services industry is very serious about the competition with seven leading IT suppliers engaged in one or other of the three bids for the contract. The Government believe that the steps taken have created a very real competition.

National Insurance

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) total reserves and (b) national insurance contributions were in (i) 199697 and (ii) 200304.

Dawn Primarolo: The requested information for 199697 was published by the DSS on 22 January 1998 in the White Paper HC465, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
	The requested information for 200304 was published by GAD in CM5746Report by the Government Actuary on the drafts of the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2003 and the Social Security (Contributions) (Re-rating and National Insurance Funds Payments) Order 2003, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

Official Spelling

Bob Russell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy that all official (a) correspondence, (b) reports and (c) documentation from his office uses the English spelling of words where this differs from the US version.

John Healey: Guidance issued by the Cabinet Office on the handling of ministerial and other correspondence emphasises the importance of ensuring that the quality of all replies is high and that departmental publications accord with its guidance on plain written English.

Personal Debt

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to reduce the level of personal debt within the UK.

Paul Boateng: The Government aims to provide a framework of macroeconomic stability and awareness of financial issues within which people can make informed, responsible decisions about how much debt it is prudent to incur.

Tax Credits

Eric Martlew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to advertise (a) the changes in the system for claiming for housing and council tax benefit, (b) the loss of the automatic right to help with health costs and (c) the loss of the automatic right to milk tokens following the changes in the child tax credit; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The introduction of the child tax credit has caused no changes in the rules for claiming housing or council tax benefits. As before, these benefits are adjusted to take into account tax credit income. Families on income support or income based jobseeker's allowance who are also in receipt of housing and council tax benefit have been notified about the introduction of tax credits. If they require any information or require help with their tax credit claim, they can go to their local Jobcentre Plus Office.
	Low income families will remain entitled to help with health costs and milk tokens while they receive child tax credit. The Inland Revenue has published a leaflet, WT6Child Tax Credit and Working Tax CreditOther Types of Help You May Be Able To Get, which explains how the tax credits can help families receive other benefits such as having health costs met and getting milk tokens. The leaflet is available from Inland Revenue Offices and Enquiry Centres and online at the Inland Revenue website.

Tax Credits

Candy Atherton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what provisions he plans to ensure that working tax credit continues to be paid without interruption to the father of dependent children when his wife dies.

Dawn Primarolo: The father should contact the Inland Revenue to bring to an end the tax credit award made to him and his wife and make a fresh claim for tax credits in his name alone. In these circumstances, the Revenue will do everything it can to see that the new award is set up as quickly and smoothly as possible.
	To be eligible to continue to receive Working Tax Credit, the father will need to be in work for at least 16 hours a week. As a lone parent, he can claim the lone parent element of Working Tax Credit. In addition, the father could receive help with the costs of registered or approved childcare. He should also claim Child Tax Credit and Child Benefit registered or approved childcare. He should also claim Child Tax Credit and Child Benefit.

Thalidomide Trust

Peter Robinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with (a) Diageo and (b) the Thalidomide Trust about the funding of the Trust; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Chancellor of the Exchequer has not had any discussions with either Diageo or the Thalidomide Trust about the funding of the trust. I however met the trustees of the Thalidomide Trust on 18 December 2002 and discussed funding (among other things) with them.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Amateur Sports Clubs

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been provided in funding to community amateur sports clubs since July 2002, broken down by (a) region and (b) sport.

Richard Caborn: Through Sport England, community amateur sports clubs in England have received awards from the National Lottery since July 2002, as follows:
	
		
			 Region Award Amount 
		
		
			 East Midlands 1,790,734 
			 Eastern 1,063,485 
			 London 1,884,299 
			 North East 4,157,684 
			 North West 2,953,210 
			 South East 3,141,963 
			 South West 4,720,592 
			 West Midlands 358,554 
			 Yorkshire 2,571,732 
			 Total 22,642,253 
		
	
	
		
			 Sport Award Amount 
		
		
			 Association Football 2,179,307 
			 Badminton 3,137,976 
			 Bowls 1,974,633 
			 Boxing 169,327 
			 Canoeing 744,613 
			 Cricket 3,108,946 
			 Croquet 15,761 
			 Equestrian 334,582 
			 Exercise and Fitness 720,079 
			 Gliding 95,634 
			 Golf 303,752 
			 Gymnastics 230,152 
			 Hockey 230,459 
			 Lawn Tennis 1,528,085 
			 Mountaineering 45,000 
			 Multi Sports 1,683,736 
			 Roller Skating 139,341 
			 Rowing 1,286,271 
			 Rugby League 562,880 
			 Rugby Union 2,686,318 
			 Sailing and Yachting 1,340,254 
			 Skateboarding 114,892 
			 Sub-aqua 10,255 
			 Total 22,642,253

Community Fund

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make it her policy to allow the Community Fund to support organisations that are neither registered charities nor essentially philanthropic.

Richard Caborn: Under existing legislation, the Community Fund is able to support organisations which are registered charities, and those which are deemed to be charitable, philanthropic and benevolent. The Government have no plans to amend the Community Fund's current remit.

Cultural Events

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which large cultural events staged by ethnic minority organisations were supported financially by her Department and its non-departmental public bodies in each of the last 10 years; and if she will list the amount each of those events received.

Richard Caborn: This information is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Local Authority Sports Expenditure

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the impact of the change in local authority expenditure on sport and physical recreation from 1998 to 2002.

Richard Caborn: According to statistics provided by the Office of National Statistics, local authority spending on sport and physical recreation has increased slightly during the period between 1998 and 2002.
	The Government recognises the importance of local delivery of sport and the impact it can have on levels of participation in physical recreation. The December 2002 joint Department for Culture Media and Sport/Strategy Unit report, 'Game Plan: A Strategy for Delivering Government's Sport and Physical Activity Objectives', assesses local authority delivery of Sport and makes a number of recommendations to improve delivery at that level.
	The Department is currently considering how best it can take forward the commendations made in the Game Plan report.

National Lottery

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations her Department has received from Sport England about a reallocation of lottery funds from the New Opportunities Fund to sports lottery funds.

Richard Caborn: The New Opportunities Fund, given its responsibilities for health and education, are also actively engaged in providing additional opportunities for active recreation in and around schools and in the community. We require the closest cooperation and collaboration between them. Sport England has suggested that the New Opportunities Fund might help do even more in this area and I am considering this.

National Lottery

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the (a) budget allocated for playing fields, (b) amount spent on playing fields and (c) new playing fields created by the New Opportunities Fund Green Spaces and Sustainable Communities Initiative in (i) 200001, (ii) 200102, (iii) 200203 and (iv) 200304.

Richard Caborn: Under the New Opportunities Fund's Green Spaces and Sustainable Communities programme allocations are not made for each year, but the total budget for playing fields is 19,595,102. Total awards made and amount spent in each year are detailed in the following table:
	
		(s)
		
			  Awards made Amount spent 
		
		
			 20002001 421,007 Nil 
			 20012002 8,014,079 106,928 
			 20023003 10,621,839 55,976 
			 20032004 538,177 Nil (although remaining 192,432,198 will be spent by the end of this financial year 
		
	
	We have contacted the New Opportunities Fund to request the information requested on the number of new playing fields created by the initiative and I will write to the hon. Member a soon as it is available, placing copies of my letter in the Libraries of both Houses.

National Lottery

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the (a) budget allocated, (b) amount spent and (c) projects funded by the (i) Space for Sport and the Arts project and (ii) New Opportunities Fund's PE and Sport Programme in (A) 200001, (B) 200102, (C) 200203 and (D) 200304.

Richard Caborn: Under the New Opportunities Fund's PE and Sport programme allocations are not made for each year, but the overall budget for local education authorities in England is 495,163,000. Awards under the programme commenced in 20022003, when 161 awards were made worth 32,281,739. In 20032004, NOF has so far made 48 awards with a value of 10,953,863.
	We have contacted Sport England to request the information requested on Space for Sport and the Arts and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as it is available, placing copies of my letter in the libraries of both Houses.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the forced repatriation of Afghans from Pakistan.

Mike O'Brien: We welcome the return of two million refugees to Afghanistan from Pakistan and Iran. The successful returns programme is a testament to the work of the UN High Commission for Refugees. We also recognise that Pakistan and Iran have in recent years shouldered the burden of more than five million Afghan refugees, fleeing from more than two decades of civil war, the Taliban, and four years of drought.
	The Afghan Government has limited capacity to absorb returns. Afghanistan therefore needs the support of host countries seeking to return refugees to ensure that those returns are sustainable. This includes ensuring returns to Afghanistan are compliant with the terms of the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, and are carried out with the consent of the Afghan Government.

EU Directives

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many regulations originating from EU directives have been introduced in each of the last five years.

Denis MacShane: This information is not held centrally by the Government; to compile the information would incur disproportionate costs.

Iraq

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken to ensure that water and electricity supplies and essential public services in Iraq have been maintained.

Hilary Benn: I have been asked to reply.
	DFID has so far committed 115 million towards humanitarian assistance in the current crisis. We have set aside a further 95 million for additional needs as they emerge. We are working with UN agencies, NGOs and the Coalition Provisional Authority to ensure that water and electricity supplies and essential public services in Iraq are restored and maintained.
	The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and others, including the UK military in Basra, have done good work to repair water and electricity facilities, and to supply water and power by alternative means while supplies are disrupted.

Lord Ashcroft

Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the costs to be borne by Her Majesty's Government for the settlement of the case conducted by Lord Ashcroft; whether an apology has been issued; who has the responsibility for the errors which have been accepted by Her Majesty's Government; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: The settlement of the cases brought by Lord Ashcroft against various Government Departments involved a payment of 350,000 towards Lord Ashcroft's overall costs, two thirds of which will be paid by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and one third by the Department for International Development.
	On the occasion of settlement, on 5 June, the following Government statement was read out in Open Court:
	During the years 1999 and 2000, documents held by certain Government Departments, and which contained references relating to the affairs of Lord Ashcroft were disclosed to the media.
	Despite investigation, the Government was not able to establish how the unauthorised disclosures to the media occurred.
	The Government has though recognised that various disobliging references relating to Lord Ashcroft which were contained within documents held by Government Departments were without foundation.
	Lord Ashcroft commenced litigation following the unauthorised disclosures. That litigation has today been settled, with the Government Departments which were defendants to those actions apologising to Lord Ashcroft.

Colin Berry

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Afghan authorities concerning Mr. Colin Berry, a constituent.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer of 13 June 2003
	Mr. Berry is currently in detention in Afghanistan. I raised Mr. Berry's case with the Afghan Ambassador last week. Our Embassy in Kabul has also raised the case on numerous occasions with the Afghan authorities. We are pressing the Afghan authorities to ensure that Mr. Berry's case is properly handled and that he receives a fair trial.
	Mr. Berry is visited regularly by consular staff from our Embassy in Kabul and we will continue to represent his interests.

Overseas Territories

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which overseas territories are in the process of revising their constitutions and, in each case, what the anticipated timescale is for (a) the overseas territory to finalise their requests for revision and (b) referral to the Privy Council for an Order.

Denis MacShane: The following Overseas Territories are in the process of reviewing their constitutions: Anguilla; the British Virgin Islands; the Cayman Islands; the Falkland Islands; Gibraltar; Montserrat; St Helena; and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
	There is no anticipated timescale for submitting draft Orders in Council containing revised constitutions to the Privy Council; this will depend on the conclusion of discussions with the territories concerned about their proposals for constitutional revision.
	The following is a summary of the stage reached in the constitutional review process in each territory concerned:
	Anguilla: A local review commission is reviewing the Constitution; we expect it to report later this year and that proposals for revision will be made by 31 March 2004.
	British Virgin Islands: A local review commission is expected to be established within the next few months.
	Cayman Islands; St Helena: Proposals for revised constitutions have been discussed with the FCO and are under consideration.
	Falkland Islands: A committee of the local Legislative Council is reviewing the Constitution but has yet to report.
	Gibraltar: The Select Committee on Constitutional Reform of the Gibraltar House of Assembly has reviewed the Constitution; the Chief Minister has indicated that he expects to table proposals for discussion during the course of the year.
	Turks and Caicos Islands; Montserrat: Local review commissions have recommended changes and these are under consideration in the territories; we expect firm proposals from the local Legislative Councils later this year.

Overseas Territories

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many children residing in the Turks and Caicos Islands are not receiving full-time education; and what action the Government propose to take.

Denis MacShane: Education is the responsibility of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) government. All children legally entitled to be in the TCI are attending educational establishments. These amount to some 4,492 students, (including those at the Community College). The cases of students who were unable to register because their immigration status was unclear are being examined; in the meantime some are actually attending school. The Department of Education does not hold statistics for these cases.

UN Special Committee on Decolonisation

Peter Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what involvement the United Kingdom Government had in the UN's Special Committee on Decolonisation's conference Advancing the Decolonisation Process in the Caribbean and Bermuda held in Anguilla last month.

Denis MacShane: The Chairman of the UN decolonisation committee asked last year whether the Committee's annual seminar could be held in 2003 on a UK Caribbean Overseas Territory. We and the Anguillian Government agreed the request and subsequently signed an agreement with the UN covering practical arrangements.
	The seminar, which took place from 2022 May, was attended by Chief Ministers and senior representatives of a number of UK Overseas Territories. The FCO was represented by the Deputy Head of Overseas Territories Department and a representative of the UK Mission to the UN.

Visas (Syria)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visas were issued at the British Embassy in Syria in each of the last three years to (a) people seeking political asylum, (b) students, (c) visitors and tourists, (d) people seeking indefinite leave to remain and (e) people seeking to join their spouses; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Applications for asylum are not accepted overseas. It is unlikely that would-be asylum seekers would disclose their intention to claim asylum on arrival to an Entry Clearance Officer as this would be likely to lead to the refusal of their visa application. We do not keep figures for those who have claimed asylum on entering the United Kingdom after having previously applied for entry clearance overseas.
	There were 535 entry clearance applications from prospective students at the British Embassy in Damascus in 2000, 502 in 2001 and 377 in 2002.
	There were 4,263 entry clearance applications in Damascus from those who wished to visit the United Kingdom in 2000, 3,525 in 2001 and 3,773 in 2002.
	In 2000 there were 71 entry clearance applications in Damascus by individuals who wished to settle in the United Kingdom, 178 in 2001 and 287 in 2002.
	There are no specific entry clearance categories for visa applicants who wish to join their spouses in the United Kingdom, or for those seeking indefinite leave to remain. These applicants fall within the settlement category, statistics for which are given above.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Arms Trade

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what intelligence gathering mechanism she has for determining the bona fides of arms dealers and purchasers.

Nigel Griffiths: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 9 June 2003, Official Report, column 619W.

Arms Trade

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the research which she has commissioned on US end-user monitoring and controls, with special reference to the use of (a) mutual and (b) multilateral legal assistance treaties.

Nigel Griffiths: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, has not commissioned any research on US end-user monitoring and controls.

Broadband

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the progress of rolling out broadband internet coverage in East Sussex.

Stephen Timms: I visited East Sussex on 22 May with my right hon. Friend the Minister for Rural Affairs to review progress on rolling out broadband.
	South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) is committed to, and very active in rolling out broadband coverage in East Sussex. Two significant areas of activity are:
	Plans for a 'Coastal Superhighway' that will bring broadband to the East Sussex coast via a fibre optic network.
	The Remote Area Broadband inclusion Trial (RABBIT) scheme providing grants to pilot the use of satellite and wireless broadband solutions as an alternative to BT ADSL or cable broadband.

Construction Industry

Alan Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people were (a) employed and (b) self-employed in the construction industry in England and Wales in (i) 1973, (ii) 1978, (iii) 1983, (iv) 1988 and (v) each year from 1990 to 2002.

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Alan Hurst dated 16 June 2003
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question (198) about how many people were (a) employed and (b) self-employed in the construction industry in England and Wales in (i) 1973, (ii) 1978, (iii) 1983, (iv) 1988 and (v) in each of the years from 1992 to 2002.
	The information requested on employee jobs in construction is set out below. Data for England and Wales are not available for 1973 and 1978.
	
		England and Wales employee jobs in construction 19832002
		
			  Thousands 
		
		
			  
			  
			 June 1983 1,013 
			 June 1988 1,043 
			 June 1992 883 
			 June 1993 808 
			 June 1994 795 
			 June 1995 784 
			 June 1996 771 
			 June 1997 835 
			 June 1998 948 
			 June 1999 947 
			 June 2000 1,010 
			 June 2001 1,011 
			 June 2002 977 
		
	
	The table below shows the number of self-employment jobs in construction in Great Britain (separate figures for England and Wales are not available). The relevant data are only available under the current Standard Industrial Classification (1992) from 1994.
	
		GB self-employment jobs in construction 19942002
		
			  Thousands 
		
		
			  
			  
			 June 1994 757 
			 June 1995 766 
			 June 1996 770 
			 June 1997 677 
			 June 1998 625 
			 June 1999 618 
			 June 2000 608 
			 June 2001 619 
			 June 2002 665

Energy Efficiency

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what targets her Department has for improving energy efficiency; and how she intends to achieve these targets.

Nigel Griffiths: In common with all other Government Departments, DTI is working towards the interim energy target for the Government Estatean on-going 1 per cent. per annum reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from buildings, expressed in terms of carbon savings.
	To help meet this target, DTI undertook an estate-wide energy audit to identify areas where further savings could be made. This resulted in the enhancement of a DTI Building Energy Management System and the installation of Inverter Variable Speed Drives.
	Other measures which contribute to this target include; ISO 14001 certified Environmental Management Systems across the DTI HQ estate; 33 per cent. of electricity in the DTI HQ estate is purchased from renewable sources; promoting environmental and energy awareness to DTI staff through 'Green Teams' who disseminate green and energy issues to their colleagues; and a number of specific measures such as installation of solar film for windows.

Post Office

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to transfer responsibilities for Government activities to the post office.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 10 June 2003
	There are no plans to transfer responsibilities for Government activities to the post office network.

Post Office

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether she or her Ministers have received documents issued by Royal Mail relating to (a) bonuses and (b) incentives for post office managers who achieve targets for closures of post office branches.

Stephen Timms: Staff management and remuneration arrangements are operational matters for Post Office Ltd. Documents relating to such matters are not seen by either Ministers or officials in the Department.

Post Office

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on European Commission state aid approval for the subsidy for rural post offices.

Stephen Timms: On 27 May the European Commission approved the package of funding for Post Office Ltd. I announced on 2 December. This is great news for our rural post offices and the wider post office network. The cash provides a vital life-line to the rural network and will secure access to rural post office services over the next three years.

Postage Stamps (Discounted Sales)

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry under what conditions supermarkets may sell postage stamps at less than their face value.

Stephen Timms: Retailers may purchase books to stamps on a wholesale basis from the Royal Mail for resale in their outlets. I have asked the Chief Executive of Royal Mail to reply direct to the hon. Member on the conditions under which stamps may be sold at a discount.
	Post Offices, including rural sub-Post Offices, receive a supply of stamps to sell on behalf of Royal Mail and cannot sell stamps at a discounted price. The issue of the competitive implications of selling at discounted prices is a matter for the regulator, Postcomm.

Postwatch Scotland

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the process for appointments to the Postwatch Scotland Committee.

Stephen Timms: The Regional Chair for Scotland is a member of Postwarch Council and thus an appointment made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.
	Other appointments to the Postwatch Scotland Committee are a matter for Postwatch and I have therefore asked the Chairman to reply direct to the hon. Member setting out the appointments procedure.

Trade Tariffs

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what trade tariffs and restrictions are placed on UK exports to non-EU countries owing to European Union legislation.

Patricia Hewitt: None other than those restrictions relating to the strategic controls, illegal goods or trade sanctions.

CABINET OFFICE

Pay Audits

Angela Eagle: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress has been made on completing a pay audit in his Department and its non-departmental public bodies to measure any disadvantage in terms of remuneration for (a) women, (b) ethnic minorities and (c) people with disabilities; and if he will publish the results of such an audit.

Douglas Alexander: The Cabinet Office, Central Office of Information (COI) and the Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) have separate delegated pay arrangements and have therefore been carrying out their own pay audits. All three organisations have completed their audits and I intend to place the results in the Library of the House once internal discussions have been completed.

Playing Fields

Mike Hancock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether the Government have strategy for the (a) management and (b) disposal of playing fields owned by Government departments.

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
	Each department is responsible for the management and disposal of its own assets in accordance with its Departmental Investment Strategy. However, school playing fields owned by local authorities are excluded. Guidance for departments on the disposal of assets is contained in Government Accounting.

DEFENCE

A400M

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why he appointed OCCAR to enter into the contract for A400M aircraft on behalf of the United Kingdom; what direct control and influence he will exercise over the conduct and outcome of the project; what the arrangements are for this; and what power the UK has to withdraw from the contract if progress is not satisfactory.

Adam Ingram: The Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation (OCCAR) was established by France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom with the primary aim of providing improved management of co-operative defence equipment programmes. OCCAR uses management processes and procedures that have been developed in conjunction with the founder nations and which follow international best practice. In this light, the nations participating in A400M concluded that OCCAR provided the optimum route for managing the programme.
	The A400M partner nations have jointly agreed the high level objectives for the programme and the boundaries within which the OCCAR Executive Administration (EA) will operate. The working parameters are set out in the mandate that assigns the responsibility for managing the programme to OCCAR. Under this mandate, the Director of the OCCAR-EA is directly accountable to the A400M Programme Board, on which the nations are represented by their National Armaments Directors, for the delivery of this programme.
	The A400M contract provides the nations with termination rights in a number of circumstances, including failure to achieve a critical milestone or deliver an individual aircraft within a set period.

Aircraft Carriers

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what delays have occurred so far in the aircraft carrier programme: what recent discussions his Department has held with BAE and Thales; and whether he expects the in-service date to be met.

Adam Ingram: Work is progressing on the future aircraft carrier project consistent with our plan at the commencement of the CVF Assessment Phase, under which we expect to award the Demonstration and Manufacture (D and M) contract in spring 2004. MOD officials meet regularly with BAE Systems and Thales UK as part of the routine business of the Assessment Phase.
	Our target in-service dates for the two new carriers remain 2012 and 2015. Estimates for their delivery will be developed progressively during the remainder of the Assessment Phase, taking account of the maturing carrier design. Expected in-service dates will be confirmed when we place the D and M contract.

Aircraft Carriers

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which parts of the aircraft carriers being built under the future aircraft carrier project will be built in foreign shipyards; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: In line with Government policy on building warships for the Royal Navy, the future aircraft carriers will be built in the United Kingdom. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced on 30 January 2003, our planning is proceeding under the assumption that the carriers will be built by a combination of four yards: BAE Systems Marine at Govan, Vosper Thornycroft at Portsmouth, Swan Hunter on Tyneside, and Babcock BES at Rosyth. However, the involvement of other UK yards has not been ruled out.

Armed Forces Funding

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether funding for the armed forces is determined by the planned number of servicemen; and what the impact on funding is of a shortfall in the number serving.

Adam Ingram: Funding for Defence is decided as part of the biennial Spending Review process and takes into account all the factors relevant to the delivery of the Ministry of Defence's Public Service Agreement, including service manpower plans. Defence funding will next be reviewed as part of Spending Review 2004 when any changes in service manpower numbers and plans will be taken into account.

Cluster Munitions

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what recent independent evidence has been gathered by his Department on failure rates of cluster munitions;
	(2)  what target his Department has set for a failure rate in cluster munitions.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 5 June 2003
	Weapons containing cluster munitions are currently in service with the Army and Royal Air Force. The Army systems consist of Shell 155mm HE Extended Range Bomblet Shell (ERBS) and Multiple Launch Rocket System.
	Acceptance tests for the latest purchase of Shell 155mm HE ERBS have confirmed a maximum failure rate of 2 per cent., which is consistent with the results of Director Royal Artillery tests of 1994. The target reliability rate for ERBS is not less than 95 per cent.
	For the MLRS, US Government test reports, based on 15 years worth of data, indicate a failure rate of between 5 and 10 per cent., dependent on ground conditions and range. Although there is no target failure rate for the current MLRS system, its replacement (the future GMLRS Area Effects Munition (AEM)) due in service in 2007, has a target failure rate of less than 1 per cent. for bomblet sub-munitions.
	The RAF system consists of the BL755 cluster bomb, routine surveillance of a representative sample of weapons is carried out by the Design Authority (Insys Ltd.) on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. Recent statistics show an overall failure rate of 6 per cent. which is in line with expectations.

Departmental Agencies

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state in cash terms the (a) provision and (b) outturn for each of his Department's agencies since financial year 199798.

Adam Ingram: This information is not held centrally in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	However, Defence Agencies with an accounts direction from HM Treasury publish their own financial statements each year. Copies of these documents have been placed in the Library of the House.

Desert Combat Clothing

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what orders have been given to the Reserve Training and Mobilisation Centre at Chilwell for the withdrawal and then re-issue of desert combat clothing; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: In accordance with Materiel Regulations for the Army, the Reserve Training and Mobilisation Centre at Chilwell withdraw from demobilised Reservists all additional kit above standard TA clothing scales, with the exception of next to skin items such as Socks and T-shirts. Desert Combat Clothing (DCC) is not part of standard TA clothing scales and is therefore withdrawn from Reservists. It is standard practice to return laundered kit (including DCC) to stock for re-issue.

Hovercraft

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  when hovercraft were last used in military operations by British forces and in what way; and if he will make a statement on hovercraft capability;
	(2)  what assessment has been made of the value of hovercraft to amphibious and other military operations; how many are in service with the armed forces; if there are plans to increase numbers; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Hovercraft were used during the recent operations in Iraq for tasks including reconnaissance and mine clearance. The advantages of hovercraft include speed, the ability to access a higher percentage of beaches than conventional craft, the ability to travel over small obstacles and in shallow water and a relatively high level of immunity from the threat of mines.
	Currently, the Royal Marines (539ASRM) operate four Griffon 2000 TDX hovercraft. They have the capacity to lift 12 fully equipped troops or 2 x 1000kg pallets of stores and are capable of deployment in C130 Hercules aircraft. It is expected that the current fleet of hovercraft will be replaced in around 2007. There are no plans at present to increase overall numbers, although this will be kept under review, for example, in light of lessons learned from operations in Iraq.

Hovercraft

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent research has been undertaken in developing the hovercraft; and what finance was allocated to this research.

Adam Ingram: No funding has recently been allocated to developing the hovercraft. The technology is well established and suitable craft are available as military off-the-shelf procurements or as modifications of commercial civilian designs.

Hovercraft

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations have been made by (a) private developers and (b) British forces representatives about the military use of hovercraft; and what discussions have taken place with manufacturing companies in the United States and United Kingdom regarding the development of hovercraft.

Adam Ingram: There have been a number of routine fact-finding visits and meetings involving Ministry of Defence personnel and representatives of industry to establish the military utility of Hovercraft. These have included representations by companies based in the United Kingdom and United States. Most recently the Griffon 8000TD Hovercraft, a larger version of the 2000 TDX hovercraft current used by Royal Marines, was demonstrated to UK Military staff on 15 May 2003.

Iraq

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his latest estimate is of the cost of the war in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence identifies the costs of Operations in terms of the net additional costs it has incurred. The costs, which the MOD would have incurred had the operation not been undertakenexpenditure on wages and salaries or on conducting training exercises for exampleare deducted from the total costs of the operation.
	Calculating all the costs of military action will take some time to determine since it will include the cost of ammunition, bombs and guided weapons consumed in excess of peacetime levels and the cost of equipment destroyed and damaged. These sums are likely to be significant. However excluding those costs, the latest estimate is that the net additional cost of Operations in Iraq for 200203 will not exceed 1 billion; the amount set aside at spring Supplementary Estimates 200203.
	It is too early to estimate the costs in 200304.

Iraq

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for International Development and (b) the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance regarding the restitution of the refuse collection system in Baghdad.

Geoff Hoon: I have had no specific discussions with either the Secretary of State for International Development, or the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), as ORHA is now termed, concerning the restitution of the refuse collection system in Baghdad. However, improving sanitation is among the Coalition's top priorities in the reconstruction of Iraq, and the CPA has recently facilitated the removal of almost a third of the 300,000 cubic metres of refuse that it is estimated remain uncollected in Baghdad.

Iraq

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cluster bombs were used by British forces during the recent campaign in Iraq; and what assessment he has made of the number of unexploded cluster bombs in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: United Kingdom forces used some 66 RBL755 air-delivered cluster bombs, each containing 147 bomblets, for which recent statistics show an overall failure rate of 6 per cent. and some 2,098 artillery-delivered L20 extended range bomblet shells, each containing 49 bomblets, which have a proven maximum bomblet failure rate of 2 per cent. Further evaluation of the latter will be required to establish the exact rate on the ground. We do not have comparable assessments for the rates of unexploded cluster munitions not delivered by UK forces.

Iraq

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has a programme for the removal of landmines in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: Providing a safe, secure and risk free environment for the Iraqi people is a key aspect of restoration activity for the coalition. The United Kingdom itself has made a significant effort to educate the local population in its area of operations about the dangers of mines and unexploded ordnance, but the actual responsibility for developing a programme for the removal of landmines rests with the Iraq Mine Action Centre (IMAC) and not the UK military. The UK and the IMAC are in the process of marking and documenting around 400 unexploded ordnance sites. In addition to this, the UK has, with the support of UNICEF and the ICRC, developed a Theatre Mine Risk Education programme. A poster and leaflet campaign has been carried out, head teachers in Basrah have been briefed and military teams are delivering mine and unexploded ordnance awareness training to primary and secondary schools on a daily basis using material approved by the ICRC. In addition to this, local radio stations are informing the local population about unexploded ordnance and encouraging them not to tamper with anything that has either been marked as or may look like unexploded ordnance.

Iraq

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his latest estimate is of the number of Iraqis who died in the recent conflict in that country, broken down by (a) military personnel and (b) civilians.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 9 June 2003
	We make every effort to minimise any impact of the coalition's military action on the Iraqi population. We have no means of ascertaining the numbers of Iraqi military personnel or civilians killed during the conflict.

Iraq

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what efforts are being made to protect citizens in Iraq from (a) entering the areas where unexploded bomblets are and (b) tampering with them.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 11 June 2003
	A coalition-wide operation is currently underway to check and mark all suspected areas of mine and unexploded ordnance contamination. In addition to this, the United Kingdom has made a significant effort to educate the local population in its area of operations about the dangers of mines and unexploded ordnance. UK forces, in conjunction with the Iraqi Mine Action Centre (a part of the Office of the Coalition Provisional Authority), are in the process of marking and documenting around 400 unexploded ordnance sites in the UK area of operation in Southern Iraq. Radio broadcasts are being used to inform the population of marking practices and encouraging them not to tamper with the markers. A Theatre Mine Risk Education Programme has been developed with the support of UNICEF and the ICRC. A poster and leaflet campaign has been carried out, head teachers in Basrah have been briefed and military teams are delivering mine/UXO awareness training to Primary and Secondary schools on a daily basis using material approved by the ICRC.

RAF (Gulf Commitment)

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the commitment of RAF aircraft and personnel to operations in the Gulf region; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence's written statement of 11 June 2003, Official Report, columns 512WS. We will continue to review our force levels in the context of the evolving strategic situation to ensure that we maintain an appropriate presence in Iraq for as long as necessary.

Royal Navy

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels have visited Spanish ports in each of the past two years; and which ports were visited.

Adam Ingram: The following tables list visits to Spanish ports by Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels for the calendar years 2001 and 2002. For completeness details have also been provided for 2003 until end of May. Also included is a visit by MV Hartland Points as part of the Ministry of Defence's Joint Rapid Reaction Force Ro-Ro capability.
	
		Visits to Spanish ports by RN and RFA vessels during 2001
		
			 Port Ship Arrival Departure 
		
		
			 Barcelona HMS Richmond 8 February 14 February 
			 Santa Cruz HMS Glasgow 10 February 14 February 
			 Santa Cruz RFA Black Rover 10 February 13 February 
			 Cadiz HMS Richmond 20 March 26 March 
			 Palma HMS Bridport 22 March 25 March 
			 Villagarcia de Arosa HMS Bridport 30 March 31 March 
			 Las Palmas HMS Richmond 2 April 7 April 
			 Las Palmas RFA Sir Tristram 7 April 7 April 
			 Las Palmas RFA Sir Percivale 20 April 21 April 
			 Santa Cruz HMS Beagle 25 April 29 April 
			 Las Palmas RFA Diligence 1 May 5 May 
			 Vigo RFA Fort Victoria 11 May 14 May 
			 Vigo RFA Brambleleaf 19 May 22 May 
			 Santa Cruz RFA Sir Geraint 23 May 24 May 
			 Palma HMS Somerset 2 June 5 June 
			 Ibiza HMS Bulldog 3 June 7 June 
			 La Coruna HMS Bulldog 11 June 15 June 
			 Las Palmas HMS Beagle 29 June 2 July 
			 Algerciras RFA Oakleaf 15 August 16 August 
			 Cadiz HMS Roebuck 17 August 20 August 
			 Barcelona HMS Bangor 28 August 1 September 
			 Barcelona HMS Cattistock 28 August 1 September 
			 Barcelona RFA Diligence 28 August 1 September 
			 Barcelona HMS Inverness 28 August 1 September 
			 Barcelona HMS Quorn 28 August 1 September 
			 Barcelona HMS Walney 28 August 1 September 
			 Cadiz HMS Fearless 2 September 5 September 
			 Cadiz RFA Fort Rosalie 2 September 5 September 
			 Cadiz RFA Sir Bedivere 2 September 5 September 
			 Cadiz RFA Sir Percivale 2 September 5 September 
			 Cartagena RFA Sir Galahad 3 September 6 September 
			 Cartagena RFA Fort Austin 3 September 6 September 
			 Cartagena RFA Sir Tristram 3 September 6 September 
			 Malaga RFA Oakleaf 3 September 5 September 
			 Barcelona HMS Monmouth 9 September 13 September 
			 El Ferrol HMS Exeter 29 September 8 October 
			 Palma HMS Chatham 3 October 6 October 
			 La Coruna RFA Fort George 5 October 8 October 
			 Palma HMS Bangor 5 October 6 October 
			 Almeria HMS Bangor 9 October 14 October 
			 Rota HMS Bangor 16 October 17 October 
			 Cadiz HMS Bangor 19 October 21 October 
			 Palma HMS Bangor 29 October 29 October 
			 Palma HMS Bangor 2 November 5 November 
			 Rota HMS Exeter 2 November 19 November 
			 Santa Cruz HMS Edinburgh 8 November 11 November 
			 Malaga HMS Roebuck 20 November 24 November 
			 Barcelona HMS Nottingham 21 November 25 November 
			 Malaga RFA Oakleaf 22 November 27 November 
			 Vigo RFA Argus 24 November 26 November 
			 Malaga RFA Sir Bedivere 26 November 30 November 
		
	
	
		Visits to Spanish ports by RN and RFA vessels During 2002
		
			 Port Ship Arrival Departure 
		
		
			 Barcelona HMS Beagle 8 January 11 January 
			 Rota HMS Exeter 17 January 19 January 
			 Rota HMS Norfolk 18 January 19 January 
			 Rota HMS Exeter 19 January 21 January 
			 Rota HMS Norfolk 19 January 23 January 
			 La Coruna RFA Argus 15 February 18 February 
			 Barcelona HMS Fearless 7 March 11 March 
			 Palma HMS Illustrious 16 March 20 March 
			 Malaga HMS Cornwall 17 March 21 March 
			 Las Palmas HMS Montrose 19 March 22 March 
			 Las Palmas HMS Newcastle 19 March 22 March 
			 Las Palmas RFA Grey Rover 20 March 25 March 
			 La Coruna RFA Argus 19 April 22 April 
			 Malaga RFA Fort Rosalie 20 April 24 April 
			 Cadiz HMS Grimsby 20 April 24 April 
			 Cartagena HMS Grimsby 27 April 8 May 
			 Barcelona HMS Sheffield 4 May 9 May 
			 Malaga HMS Grimsby 17 May 26 May 
			 Alicante HMS Ark Royal 22 May 27 May 
			 Malaga RFA Orangeleaf 22 May 27 May 
			 Valencia RFA Argus 23 May 26 May 
			 Cartagena HMS Sheffield 24 May 28 May 
			 Barcelona HMS Ocean 25 May 29 May 
			 Malaga RFA Fort George 4 June 9 June 
			 Rota HMS Sheffield 7 June 10 June 
			 Palma HMS Ark Royal 9 June 14 June 
			 Valencia RFA Orangeleaf 10 June 14 June 
			 La Coruna HMS Ledbury 14 June 17 June 
			 La Coruna HMS Dumbarton Castle 15 June 17 June 
			 Ibiza HMS Roebuck 20 June 23 June 
			 Gijon HMS Shetland 20 June 24 June 
			 Vigo HMS Ledbury 21 June 23 June 
			 Vigo HMS Dumbarton Castle 21 June 23 June 
			 Palma HMS Portland 14 July 20 July 
			 Rota HMS Norfolk 14 July 16 July 
			 Ibiza HMS Grimsby 26 July 29 July 
			 Algerciras RFA Brambleleaf 7 August 9 August 
			 Vigo RFA Brambleleaf 11 August 15 August 
			 Rota HMS Somerset 27 August 29 August 
			 Denia HMS Pembroke 4 September 6 September 
			 Rota HMS Somerset 13 September 17 September 
			 Rota HMS Somerset 25 September 1 October 
			 Malaga RFA Sir Galahad 25 October 30 October 
			 Barcelona RFA Fort Victoria 28 October 2 November 
			 Barcelona HMS Ark Royal 28 October 2 November 
			 Algerciras RFA Brambleleaf 16 November 19 November 
			 Rota HMS Somerset 13 December 14 December 
		
	
	
		Visits to Spanish ports by RN and RFA vessels between 1 January and 31 May 2003
		
			 Port Ship Arrival Departure 
		
		
			 Las Palmas MV Hartland Point 5 January 31 January 
			 Algerciras RFA Brambleleaf 9 January 12 January 
			 Alicante RFA Brambleleaf 13 January 13 January 
			 Algeciras RFA Oakleaf 16 January 20 January 
			 Alicante RFA Brambleleaf 24 January 25 January 
			 Palma HMS Ledbury 31 January 3 February 
			 Palma HMS Grimsby 31 January 3 February 
			 Rota HMS Cornwall 17 March 20 March 
			 Rota HMS Cornwall 20 March 21 March 
			 Rota HMS Cornwall 21 March 26 March 
			 Alicante HMS Cardiff 24 March 29 March 
			 El Ferrol RFA Wave Knight 7 April 9 April 
			 Palma HMS York 29 April 5 May 
			 Palma HMS Ark Royal 29 April 5 May 
			 Rota HMS Northumberland1 May 2 May 
			 Cartagena HMS Northumberland4 May 7 May 
			 Ibiza HMS Brocklesby 8 May 11 May 
			 Ibiza HMS Blyth 8 May 11 May 
			 Palma HMS Northumberland12 May 14 May 
			 Rota HMS Ark Royal 13 May 13 May 
			 Villa Garcia de Arosa HMS Brocklesby 15 May 17 May 
			 Villa Garcia de Arosa HMS Blyth 15 May 17 May 
			 Barcelona RFA Fort Austin 20 May 23 May 
			 Palma HMS Roebuck 30 May 3 June

Royal Navy

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels have visited Gibraltar since 1 January 2001.

Adam Ingram: The following tables list visits to Gibraltar by Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels for the calendar years 2001 and 2002. For completeness details have also been provided for 2003 until end of May. Also included are the visits by MV Dart 10 and MV Hurst Point as part of the Ministry of Defence's Joint Rapid Reaction Force Ro-Ro capability. HMS Tireless was also alongside Gibraltar between 19 May 2000 and 7 May 2001 for repairs.
	
		Visits to Gibraltar by RN and RFA vessels during 2001
		
			 Ship Arrival Departure 
		
		
			 RFA Sea Centurion 8 January 2001 9 January 2001 
			 HMS Bridport 17 January 2001 18 January 2001 
			 HMS Richmond 18 January 2001 19 January 2001 
			 HMS Lancaster 25 January 2001 26 January 2001 
			 RFA Sea Centurion 2 February 2001 3 February 2001 
			 RFA Sea Centurion 21 February 2001 21 February 2001 
			 HMS Grafton 9 March 2001 12 March 2001 
			 RFA Sea Centurion 14 March 2001 16 March 2001 
			 HMS Cumberland 15 March 2001 17 March 2001 
			 HMS Grafton 16 March 2001 19 March 2001 
			 HMS Gloucester 23 March 2001 26 March 2001 
			 RFA Fort Rosalie 30 March 2001 30 April 2001 
			 HMS Scott 1 April 2001 2 April 200l 
			 RFA Oakleaf 21 April 2001 30 April 200l 
			 HMS Somerset 21 April 2001 24 April 200l 
			 HMS Scott 27 April 2001 8 May 2001 
			 HMS Scott 10 May 2001 30 May 2001 
			 HMS Grafton 1 June 2001 4 June 2001 
			 HMS Northumberland 8 June 2001 11 June 2001 
			 HMS Grafton 8 June 2001 8 June 2001 
			 HMS Scott 8 June 2001 13 June 2001 
			 RFA Sea Crusader 20 June 2001 20 June 2001 
			 RFA Orangeleaf 12 July 2001 14 July 2001 
			 HMS Lancaster 20 July 2001 21 July 2001 
			 MV Dart 10 20 July 2001 20 July 2001 
			 HMS Richmond 29 July 2001 30 July 2001 
			 RFA Brambleleaf 5 August 2001 6 August 2001 
			 RFA Brambleleaf 17 August 2001 23 August 2001 
			 RFA Oakleaf 17 August 2001 27 August 2001 
			 HMS Ocean 5 September 2001 5 September 2001 
			 HMS Argyll 21 September 2001 24 September 2001 
			 RFA Brambleleaf 30 September 2001 1 October 2001 
			 HMS Gloucester 13 October 2001 15 October 2001 
			 RFA Sea Crusader 20 October 2001 21 October 2001 
			 HMS Scott 17 November 2001 19 November 2001 
			 RFA Fort Austin 21 November 2001 27 November 2001 
			 HMS Scott 22 November 2001 24 November 2001 
			 RFA Fort George 1 December 2001 1 December 2001 
			 HMS Superb 6 December 2001 9 December 2001 
			 HMS Glasgow 6 December 2001 10 December 2001 
			 HMS Quorn 7 December 2001 9 December 2001 
			 HMS Inverness 7 December 2001 8 December 2001 
			 HMS Northumberland 8 December 2001 10 December 2001 
			 HMS Cattistock 8 December 2001 9 December 2001 
			 HMS Walney 8 December 2001 10 December 2001 
			 HMS Bangor 10 December 2001 11 December 2001 
			 RFA Oakleaf 17 December 2001 7 January 2002 
		
	
	
		Visits to Gibraltar by RN and RFA vessels during 2002
		
			 Ship Arrival Departure 
		
		
			 RFA Fort Victoria 10 January 2002 10 January 2002 
			 RFA Oakleaf 18 January 2002 25 January 2002 
			 HMS Grimsby 19 January 2002 22 January 2002 
			 HMS Portland 21 January 2002 22 January 2002 
			 MV Dart 10 24 January 2002 25 January 2002 
			 HMS Grimsby 25 January 2002 28 January 2002 
			 HMS York 1 February 2002 5 February 2002 
			 RFA Sea Crusader 3 February 2002 4 February 2002 
			 HMS Sheffield 9 February 2002 10 February 2002 
			 HMS Grimsby 15 February 2002 18 February 2002 
			 HMS Ocean 15 February 2002 17 February 2002 
			 HMS Campbeltown 15 February 2002 17 February 2002 
			 HMS Chatham 23 February 2002 25 February 2002 
			 HMS Kent 3 March 2002 3 March 2002 
			 HMS Fort Austin 4 March 2002 4 March 2002 
			 RFA Orangeleaf 8 March 2002 14 March 2002 
			 HMS Glasgow 12 March 2002 15 March 2002 
			 RFA Brambleleaf 16 March 2002 21 March 2002 
			 HMS Glasgow 17 March 2002 18 March 2002 
			 MV Dart 10 18 March 2002 18 March 2002 
			 RFA Sea Crusader 22 March 2002 23 March 2002 
			 HMS Nottingham 22 March 2002 23 March 2002 
			 HMS Scott 12 April 2002 12 April 2002 
			 RFA Sea Crusader 22 April 2002 23 April 2002 
			 HMS Argyll 2 June 2002 2 June 2002 
			 HMS Cardiff 7 June 2002 10 June 2002 
			 HMS Lancaster 8 June 2002 10 June 2002 
			 HMS Cardiff 10 June 2002 11 June 2002 
			 HMS Cumberland 24 June 2002 25 June 2002 
			 HMS Campbeltown 4 August 2002 5 August 2002 
			 HMS Sheffield 17 August 2002 17 August 2002 
			 RFA Black Rover 23 August 2002 26 August 2002 
			 RFA Gold Rover 23 August 2002 26 August 2002 
			 HMS Kent 7 September 2002 9 September 2002 
			 RFA Orangeleaf 11 September 2002 19 September 2002 
			 HMS Edinburgh 12 September 2002 13 September 2002 
			 RFA Sir Bedivere 16 September 2002 17 September 2002 
			 MV Hurst Point 16 September 2002 16 September 2002 
			 HMS Bangor 19 September 2002 23 September 2002 
			 HMS Blyth 19 September 2002 23 September 2002 
			 HMS Brocklesby 19 September 2002 19 September 2002 
			 HMS Chatham 19 September 2002 19 September 2002 
			 HMS Sanddown 19 September 2002 23 September 2002 
			 HMS Ark Royal 20 September 2002 22 September 2002 
			 HMS Cardiff 8 October 2002 8 October 2002 
			 RFA Orangeleaf 25 October 2002 4 November 2002 
			 HMS Scott 28 October 2002 4 November 2002 
			 RFA Orangeleaf 8 November 2002 11 November 2002 
			 HMS Scott 11 November 2002 22 November 2002 
			 HMS Roebuk 15 November 2002 18 November 2002 
			 HMS Argyll 21 November 2002 23 November 2002 
			 HMS Southampton 28 November 2002 29 November 2002 
			 HMS Southampton 29 November 2002 2 December 2002 
			 HMS Scott 30 November 2002 4 December 2002 
			 HMS Southampton 6 December 2002 7 December 2002 
			 HMS Pembroke 12 December 2002 13 December 2002 
			 MV Dart 10 16 December 2002 18 December 2002 
		
	
	
		Visits to Gibraltar by RN and RFA vessels between 1 January 2003 and 31 May 2003
		
			 Ship Arrival Departure 
		
		
			 RFA Orangeleaf 13 January 2003 13 January 2003 
			 RFA Orangeleaf 24 January 2003 31 March 2003 
			 HMS Westminster 31 January 2003 1 February 2003 
			 HMS Westminster 5 February 2003 6 February 2003 
			 HMS Richmond 14 February 2003 17 February 2003 
			 HMS Westminster 18 February 2003 21 February 2003 
			 HMS Westminster 28 February 2003 3 March 2003 
			 HMS Westminster 7 March 2003 10 March 2003 
			 HMS Turbulent 7 April 2003 12 April 2003 
			 RFA Fort Victoria 2 May 2003 5 May 2003 
			 RFA Fort Victoria 6 May 2003 8 May 2003 
			 HMS Scott 10 May 2003 10 May 2003 
			 RFA Gold Rover 16 May 2003 17 May 2003 
			 RFA Argus 20 May 2003 24 May 2003 
			 HMS Ocean 21 May 2003 24 May 2003 
			 HMS Edinburgh 21 May 2003 24 May 2003

Royal Navy

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Royal Navy ships are in dry docks.

Adam Ingram: The following Royal Navy vessels are currently in dry dock:
	HMS Vanguard
	HMS Trafalgar
	HMS Talent
	HMS Illustrious
	HMS Nottingham
	HMS Argyll
	HMS Montrose
	HMS Dulverton
	HMS Hurworth

Sri Lanka

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the meetings held between his Department and the Sri Lankan Government in each of the past five years.

Adam Ingram: The information is not available in the format requested. The British Defence Adviser Colombo and his staff meet regularly with representatives of the Sri Lankan Government and Ministry of Defence to discuss a number of issues. In addition, a number of MOD officials have met from time to time over the past five years with Sri Lankan Ministers and officials, both in the UK and in Sri Lanka.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Teachers' Dress

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will issue guidance on suitable dress for teachers.

David Miliband: We have no plans to issue guidance on suitable dress for teachers.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Female GPs

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister for Women what action she has taken to ensure equality in the proportion of female GPs to male GPs in partnerships.

John Hutton: I have been asked to reply.
	Partnerships provide a legal framework within which general practitioners, as independent, self-employed professionals, organise themselves to provide general and personal medical services. The Government is committed to equality for female GPs and the new general medical services contract, if accepted, facilitates good human resource practice and improved working lives for all general practitioners, including a wider range of employment options.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Conditional Fee Agreement

David Kidney: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment he has made of the benefits to the public of the new form of conditional fee agreement introduced by his Department on 2 June.

David Lammy: The new form of conditional fee agreement (CFA) will for the first time enable people to enter into lawful agreement with their solicitor that in the event of winning the action the claimant will receive all of their damages and the solicitor will recover their reasonable fees from the losing party. People will have a clear choice between solicitors offering simple CFAs of this type and those offering other forms of CFA or funding arrangement. The simplified CFA is the first step in a programme the Government will be taking forward with key stakeholders including consumer groups to review and simplify the overall CFA regime. We would like to see a regime that it is easier for the consumer to understand and for solicitors to use and against which it is harder for mischievous challenges to be brought. The Government will be publishing a general consultation paper in the next few weeks and will be consulting widely to identify views and the specific actions needed.

Publicly Funded Legal Work

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many firms were franchised to carry out publicly funded legal work in 2000; and what the most recent corresponding figure is.

David Lammy: It is not possible to provide an answer to the question in the terms asked.
	The Legal Aid Board's 'Legal Aid Franchise Quality Assurance Standard' (LAFQAS), which is also known as a franchise, was replaced by the Legal Services Commission's (Legal Services Commission) Specialist Quality Mark (SQM) in April 2002. All franchised organisations were passported through to the SQM level. Solicitors' offices can hold both a General Civil and Criminal contract under these standards.
	As at 31 March 2000, 4,010 solicitors' offices and other organisations held franchises with the Legal Aid Board. As at 4 June 2003, 5,994 solicitors' offices and other organisations held the SQM.
	Solicitors' offices accounted for the majority of these organisations.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Probate Office

Julian Lewis: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment the Department has made of the effect on the workload of the Probate Office of wills being executed without professional advice.

David Lammy: The Department does not keep records of the effect that proving home made wills has on the Probate Registries' workload.
	It is the view of the Probate Registries that they get a similar amount of problems with professionally drawn wills as from home made wills.

Administration Orders

Tony Colman: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the amendments set out in section 13 of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 allowing wider use of Administration Orders at county court level to resolve cases of debt without recourse to bankruptcy will be implemented.

David Lammy: The Government have concluded that section 13 will not be implemented in its current form, due to concerns over its feasibility. While some aspects of section 13, such as the three year time limit on orders, are welcome in that they would provide certainty for both debtors and creditors, its implementation would remove the current parameters to the scheme while not providing any safeguards, such as the opportunity to deal with physical assets and investigation into misconduct. The Government are consequently considering a wide range of options for reform in this area and will publish a paper on options for change later in the year. In the meantime, I refer my right hon. Friend to the White Paper Effective Enforcement issued by my Department in March 2003 for further details.

Lawyers Establishment Directive

Christopher Chope: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department on what date each member of the European Union implemented the Lawyers Establishment Directive 98/5/EC; and what representations he has made about the continuing failure of France to implement it.

David Lammy: The dates on which Directive 98/5/EC was implemented by the various states of the European Union are as follows:
	
		
			  Date 
		
		
			 Austria 23 May 2000 
			 Denmark 7 April 2000 
			 Finland 1 January 2000 
			 Germany 14 March 2000 
			 Greece 23 May 2000 
			 Italy 18 January 2000 
			 Spain 5 August 2001 
			 Sweden 1 January 2000 
		
	
	Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Portugal have yet to complete formal implementation procedures. Neither France nor Ireland has yet embarked on the process.
	Continuing representations made by and on behalf of the legal profession have, with the co-operation of the Paris Bar, secured certain of the benefits which associated with implementation of the Directive. In the light of this and of the action taken by the European Commission, before the European Court of Justice, the Government have taken the view that separate representations from them would not add anything at the present time; however we are continuing to monitor the position.

PRIME MINISTER

EU Constitution White Paper

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to publish a White Paper on the EU constitution, setting out the Government's response to its proposals.

Tony Blair: The Government intend to publish a White Paper on the future of Europe in advance of the Intergovernmental Conference which is due to start later this year.

G8 Summit

Martin Caton: To ask the Prime Minister what measures are in place to ensure that the pledges made at the G8 summit are implemented.

Tony Blair: G8 governments are collectively and individually responsible for the commitments that they make. Appropriate Government Departments will implement the actions agreed by the UK at the G8 summit in Evian.

G8 Summit

Martin Caton: To ask the Prime Minister what decisions were taken at the recent G8 Summit (a) to facilitate the transfer of technology to tackle HIV and (b) to improve water supplies in the developing world.

Tony Blair: On technology to tackle HIV/AIDS, I refer my hon. Friend to my statement on the G8 Summit on 4 June 2003, Official Report, column 158.
	The G8 Summit adopted an Action Plan for Water, calling on the international community to redouble its efforts in the water sector. In all, 16 action plans and statements were released at the summit, copies of which have been placed in the House Libraries.

Honours

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Prime Minister how many residents of Thurrock have been awarded (a) OBEs and (b) CBEs in the past five years; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: Statistics on honours are not held on a district basis as my hon. Friend has requested.

Iraq

Lynne Jones: To ask the Prime Minister whether he has received a copy of the September 2002 report by the Pentagon Defense Intelligence Agency on Iraq's military capabilities.

Tony Blair: We have access to intelligence from our allies but under exemption 1(c) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information it is established practice not to disclose information received in confidence from foreign Governments.

Iraq

David Winnick: To ask the Prime Minister if the Government will publish an account of the crimes against humanity carried out by the last regime in Iraq.

Tony Blair: In December 2002 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office published Saddam HusseinCrimes and Human Rights Abuses, which documented the human rights record under Saddam Hussein's regime. Copies were made available in the House Libraries. It set out Saddam's record on torture, the treatment of women, prison conditions, arbitrary and summary killings, the persecution of the Kurds and Shia, the harassment of opposition figures outside Iraq and the occupation of Kuwait.
	Since the fall of the regime, evidence has emerged, including for example the discovery of mass graves, revealing torture and killing by the regime.
	We have always believed that those who have been responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes should be brought to justice and that the Iraqi people should play key role in bringing those responsible to justice, with international help.
	The security of evidence, which may be linked to war crimes or crimes against humanity, is a priority. Coalition forces have been tasked with securing and protecting evidence of such crimes as they encounter it, to hand over to the relevant prosecuting authority at the appropriate time.
	I have appointed Ann Clwyd MP as my Special Envoy to Iraq on Human Rights to look into this matter and report back to me with recommendations.

Pharmaceutical Products

Martin Caton: To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the impact on African development of the United States' decision not to relax the rules on pharmaceutical patents; and what discussions he has had with President Bush on this matter.

Tony Blair: The issue of how WTO Members with insufficient manufacturing capacity in the pharmaceutical sector can make effective use of the compulsory licensing provisions of the WTO TRIPS Agreement is still under discussion. We hope to see an effective solution agreed by the next WTO ministerial in Cancun in September.

Subsidised Farm Exports

Martin Caton: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the French President about his proposal to halt the export of subsidised European and American farm products to Africa.

Tony Blair: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave during my statement on the G8 Summit to the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Dr. Tonge) on 4 June 2003, Official Report, column 171.

HEALTH

Agency Nurses

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hours were worked by agency nurses in the last week of September 2002, broken down by payscale.

John Hutton: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Ambulances

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many ambulance service vehicle road accidents there were in (a) England, (b) each NHS region and (c) each strategic health authority in each year since 1997.

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
	The tables below give the number of accidents involving at least one ambulance service vehicle in (a) England, (b) each Government Office Region, and (c) each strategic health authority, in each year from 1997 to 2001. Figures are not available on the basis of the old Department of Health Regional Offices.
	
		Number of accidents involving an ambulance by Government -- Office Region: England, 19972001Accidents
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 England 271 323 282 340 303 
			  
			 Government Office Regions 
			 North East 3 13 13 18 16 
			 North West 29 38 32 43 33 
			 Merseyside 18 11 11 14 10 
			 Yorkshire/Humberside 19 35 29 51 49 
			 East Midlands 25 27 15 23 23 
			 West Midlands 26 26 26 35 27 
			 Eastern 23 31 37 28 27 
			 South East 42 45 42 54 42 
			 London 59 75 61 45 46 
			 Southwest 27 22 16 29 30 
		
	
	
		Number of accidents involving an ambulance by Strategic -- Health Authority: England, 19972001Accidents
		
			 Strategic Health Authority 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001  
		
		
			  
			  
			 Avon, Gloucs and Wiltshire 13 12 6 9 14 
			 Beds and Herts 6 10 12 15 7 
			 Birmingham and Black Country 8 10 10 23 15 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 23 15 17 17 11 
			 Durham and Tees Valley 0 3 5 7 6 
			 Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire 4 9 9 4 7 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 10 13 8 21 10 
			 Dorset and Somerset 2 5 3 11 7 
			 Essex 9 8 8 7 11 
			 Gt Manchester 14 21 18 19 22 
			 Hampshire and IOW 7 12 8 13 10 
			 Kent and Medway 11 5 8 10 9 
			 Leicestershire, Northants and Rutland 7 8 6 6 6 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambs 8 13 17 6 9 
			 N and E Yorkshire and N Lines 7 11 13 18 12 
			 N Central London 13 15 12 11 11 
			 NE London 9 22 16 13 5 
			 NW London 17 23 9 7 18 
			 Northumberland. Tyne and Wear 3 10 8 11 10 
			 Shropshire and Staffs 14 7 7 8 5 
			 SE London 14 8 14 6 6 
			 SW London 6 7 10 8 6 
			 SW Peninsula 12 5 7 9 9 
			 S Yorkshire 3 6 3 4 15 
			 Trent 18 19 9 17 17 
			 W Yorkshire 9 18 13 29 22 
			 Surrey  Sussex 16 17 16 21 19 
			 Thames Valley 8 11 10 10 4 
			 England 271 323 282 340 303

Consultant Neurologists

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the waiting times are for follow-up appointments for consultant neurologists, broken down by Strategic Health Authority

John Hutton: The current out-patient waiting time standard is that all patients should be seen for their first out-patient appointment within 21 weeks of the general practitioner referral.
	Waiting time data for follow-up appointments or consultant to consultant referrals is not collected centrally.

Departmental Website

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what actions he has taken or is taking to ensure that the websites of his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies are accessible to partially sighted and blind people; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The websites managed by the Department of Health seek to follow wherever possible the guidelines from the Office of the e-Envoy which advise public sector websites how to be accessible to partially sighted and blind people. In addition, the Department's website (www.doh.gov.uk), www.nhs.uk and NHS Direct Online regularly commission usability and accessibility research to ensure they are meeting the needs of their audiences.
	The Department always provides alternative routes to the information it provides online. Hard copy publications are available on request and there is a customer services call centre.
	The Department of Health is currently working in partnership with the Office of the e-Envoy to migrate the majority of its website (www.doh.gov.uk) onto a new platform which has been designed to meet W3C level 'A' compliance and the Royal National Institute for the Blind, 'See it right' standards.
	Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (www.mhra.gov.uk)
	The MHRA website is scheduled for early redevelopment to integrate fully the existing websites of the former agencies. MHRA will assess accessibility as an integral part of that development.
	NHS Estates (www.nhsestates.gov.uk)
	All downloadable Adobe Acrobat files provided on the website are in the process of being speech enabled using PDFAloud on an Adobe Acrobat plug-in. NHS Estates are also currently evaluating a product called BrowseAloud that will speech enable the text on the main agency website pages.
	NHS Pensions Agency (www.nhspa.gov.uk)
	Resource and funding constraints have meant that the NHS Pensions Agency website is not currently fully accessible. However, the Pensions Online service, which the NHSPA provides to NHS Employers over the NHS Net, has been refreshed to remove frames, tables and buttons to assist partially sighted and blind visitors. The NHSPA website will be redeveloped in line with these changes and all ongoing and future website redesigns will include improvements in accessibility.
	NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (www.pasa.doh.gov.uk)
	The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency adheres to the NHS identity guidelines in all forms of communication, including those standards set for communication via the website. Although PASA is still a relatively new organisation, the website has grown rapidly. Its accessibility is currently being audited and reviewed to see where it can be improved.
	Information regarding Non-Departmental Public Bodies could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Elderly People (Tooting)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on funding for care of the elderly living in the Tooting constituency.

John Hutton: Primary care trusts and local authorities are responsible for allocating their resources to meet local needs and achieve national standards.
	Services for older people are a national priority area for health and social care. London PCTs have recently produced three-year local delivery plans and social services delivery improvement statements, outlining proposals to meet targets and capacity assumptions as set out in the Planning and Performance Framework.
	Wandsworth PCT and Wandsworth social services which cover the Tooting area, are working in close collaboration to further develop services for older people and implement the national service framework for older people. Each organisation has maintained previous levels of investment in older people's services in the current year and identified some additional moneys to meet anticipated cost pressure arising from increased demand for services and/or new developments.
	The growth in Wandsworth PCT allocations, for all services, is as follows:
	
		
			 Year Annual increase( million) Annual increase (Percentage) 
		
		
			 200304 21.1 8.3 
			 200405 27.3 9.89 
			 200506 29.2 9.62 
			 3 year total 77.6 30.5

Foundation Hospitals

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the Department is intending to remove the funding advantages that would be given to foundation hospitals in the south east, and other areas of high prices, from the sale of land and property.

John Hutton: holding answer 8 April 2003
	The establishment of the national health service foundation trusts will not reduce the amount of capital available for developing NHS services for NHS patients. Proceeds from NHS trust asset sales are not added to central funds but instead remain in the local health economy. The creation of NHS foundation trusts will not therefore reduce the central funding available to the NHS. There will be no unfair funding advantages that will accrue to asset rich trusts.

Foundation Hospitals

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the likely effect on recruitment in the NHS in Wales of the establishment of foundation hospitals in England adjacent to the Welsh border.

John Hutton: Staff already move between national health service organisations throughout the United Kingdom. NHS foundation trusts established in England will operate the same national pay and conditions of service agreements under Agenda for Change as other parts of the NHS, including NHS bodies in Wales.

Health Care Inequalities

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of inequality in healthcare provision.

John Hutton: A weighted capitation formula is used to determine primary care trusts' (PCTs) target shares of available resources to enable them to commission similar levels of healthcare for populations with similar healthcare needs.
	From 200304, the healthcare need element of the formula has been updated to use better measures of deprivation which are now available.
	It is for PCTs, in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.

Medical Treatment Overseas

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) men and (b) women living in England and Wales have travelled to another European country for medical treatment during the last 12 months.

John Hutton: Patients can be referred for treatment abroad under the European-wide health care co-ordination regulations (the E112-scheme) or through direct referral from their national health service trust.
	In the 12-month period from 1 June 2002 until 31 May 2003, 253 patients received treatment abroad through the direct referral route and 1,050 patients received authorisation for treatment abroad through the El 12 scheme.
	Information regarding the gender breakdown of these patients is not available centrally.

NHS Redundancies

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff in the NHS in the last two financial years have been made redundant with redundancy packages valued at (a) 50,000 to 100,000; (b) 100,000 to 250,000; (c) 250,000 to 500,000; and (d) more than 500,000.

John Hutton: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for West Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) on 23 January 2003, Official Report, column 480W.

NHS Staff

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how the NHS categorises administrative staff;
	(2)  how many (a) painters, (b) gardeners and (c) administrative staff the NHS employs.

John Hutton: Non-medical staff, including administrative staff, are classified according to a simplified set of occupation codes introduced in 1995. The occupation codes are based on what staff do and make no reference to payscale information. This allows staff in particular work sectors of the national health service to be identified in a consistent way. The relevant groups for administrative staff are:
	senior managersstaff at executive level (for example, chief executive and board members) plus those managers who report directly to the members of the executive;
	managersservice and functional managers who report directly to senior managers; and
	administrative and clerical staffmore junior managers and supervisors as well as those involved principally in administrative duties within the NHS, with no direct patient contact.
	Administrative staff work across all the functions in the NHS, including those working in direct support of clinical staff, such as medical secretaries, as well as those who work in hotel and catering and central services such as human resources and finance.
	Painters and gardeners are included within the 'hotel, property and estates' area of work within the 'maintenance and works' staff group, of whom there were 11,674 employed in the NHS as at September 2001. A breakdown of administrative staff areas of work is shown in the table.
	
		NHS Hospital and Community Health Services: Administration and Estates Staff, England, as at September 2001 -- Headcount
		
			  Central functions Hotel property and estates STT(3)support Clinical support Ambulance service support All areas of work 
		
		
			 Senior Manager 7,801 451 115 1,302 71 9,740 
			 Manager 13,108 1,527 391 2,333 325 17,684 
			 Clerical and administrative 81,439 8,516 13,374 77,861 3,039 184,229 
			 Total administrative staff 102,348 10,494 13,880 81,496 3,435 211,653 
		
	
	(3) STTScientific, Therapeutic and Technical.
	Note:
	Figures are rounded to the nearest whole number.
	Source:
	Department of Health 2001 non-medical workforce census.

Non-NHS Medical Staff

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on non-NHS medical staff in (a) England and (b) each strategic health authority in each of the last six years; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The information requested has been placed in the Library. Expenditure data for strategic health authorities (SHA) are not yet available. Provisional SHA figures for their first year of establishment are expected to be available from October 2003 and fully validated data from February 2004. Expenditure data for non-national health service medical staff expenditure broken down by individual health authorities and primary care trusts are in the Library.

Overseas Nurses

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the number of overseas nurses his Department plans to recruit to diagnostic treatment centres.

John Hutton: The recruitment of staff into national health service run diagnosis and treatment centres (DTCs)is a matter for the NHS trust managing the unit. We expect NHS trusts to explore the full range of options available to them, including the recruitment of overseas nurses.
	The recruitment of staff for independent sector-run DTCs will be a matter for successful bidders. As part of the current procurement, bidders are asked to propose staffing solutions for these new units that meet a core objective of the programme to secure a genuine increase in capacity, including workforce capacity. Bidders are asked to describe their approach to international recruitment of staff and how they will abide by the Code of Practice for NHS employers involved in the international recruitment of healthcare professionals. The exact number of non-NHS staff, including those from overseas, by the independent sector will depend on local circumstances.

Paediatricians

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trained paediatric consultants work in the NHS.

John Hutton: The table shows the number of hospital and hospital dental consultants in the paediatric specialties working in the national health service in England at 31 March 2002. Since September 1997, the number of consultants within the paediatrics group has risen by 29 per cent.
	
		Hospital medical and hospital dental consultants with paediatric specialties
		
			 England, as at 31 March 2002 Numbers (headcount) 
		
		
			 Paediatric Group 1,586 
			 of which:  
			 Paediatric cardiology 54 
			 Paediatrics 1,532 
			 Paediatric surgery 24 
			 Paediatric dentistry 119 
		
	
	Note:Only consultant and GP data was collected in the March 2002 mini-census.Source:
	Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.

Paediatricians

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many paediatrically trained doctors working in the NHS there are per head of population.

John Hutton: The standard ratio used by the Department of Health is per 100,000 of population.
	The table shows how many doctors, trained in the paediatric specialties, were working in the National Health Service as at 30 September 2001, per head of population and per 100,000 of the population.
	In addition, there are a number of general practitioners who have undergone training in paediatrics as part of their general practice training.
	
		Hospital medical and hospital dental doctors with paediatric specialities by grade
		
			 England, as at30 September 2001 Headcount Per head population Per 100,000 head population 
		
		
			 All Grades
			 Paediatric Group 5,070 0.0001031 10.31 
			 Of which:
			 Paediatric cardiology 68 0.0000014 0.14 
			 Paediatrics 5,002 0.0001017 10.17 
			 Paediatric surgery 285 0.0000058 0.58 
			 Paediatric dentistry 64 0.0000013 0.13 
			 Of which:
			 Consultants
			 Paediatric Group 1,507 0.0000306 3.06 
			 Of which:
			 Paediatric cardiology 29 0.0000006 0.06 
			 Paediatrics 1,478 0.0000301 3.01 
			 Paediatric surgery 114 0.0000023 0.23 
			 Paediatric dentistry 22 0.0000004 0.04 
			 
			  Associate specialists and staff grades 
			 Paediatric Group 602 0.0000122 1.22 
			 Of which:
			 Paediatric cardiology
			 Paediatrics 602 0.0000122 1.22 
			 Paediatric surgery 10 0.0000002 0.02 
			 Paediatric dentistry 4 0.0000001 0.01 
			 
			 Doctors in training(4)
			 Paediatric Group 2,875 0.0000585 5.85 
			 Of which:
			 Paediatric cardiology 39 0.0000008 0.08 
			 Paediatrics 2,836 0.0000577 5.77 
			 Paediatric surgery 159 0.0000032 0.32 
			 Paediatric dentistry 24 0.0000005 0.05 
		
	
	(4) Comprises registrar group, senior house officers and house officers.
	Source:
	Department of Health medical and dental workforce census 2001 ONS Population Census

Paediatric Nurses

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many nurses with specialist qualifications in paediatric medicine are working in the NHS;
	(2)  how many NHS nurses with specialist qualifications in paediatric medicine there are per head of population.

John Hutton: Information on the number of nurses with specialist qualifications in paediatric medicine employed in the national health service is not collected centrally.
	As at September 2001, the latest available data, there were 17,640 nurses employed in the paediatric nursing area of work. This represents 36 per 100,000 population and is a 15 per cent. increase since 1997.

Primary Care Resources

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is proposing to ensure that all primary care resources allocated to PCTs are passed to front line patient care providers.

John Hutton: If the new general medical services contract is accepted by the profession, expenditure on primary care will increase from 5 billion in 200203 to 6.8 billion in 200506. There will be a Gross Investment Guarantee that these resources will be delivered. To ensure delivery, the pricing of the contract could be adjusted.
	A joint Health Departments and British Medical Association technical steering committee will monitor the level of investment. This monitoring will include investment in enhanced services, which will also be performance managed by strategic health authorities.

Primary Care Trusts

Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when setting weighted capitation targets for resource allocation to primary care trusts, what account is taken of the unavoidable geographical variations in the cost of providing services.

John Hutton: The weighted capitation formula used to inform the allocation of resources to primary care trusts includes a market forces factor. The market forces factor takes account of unavoidable variations in the cost of providing services due to location.
	Further information on the market forces factor is available in Resource Allocation: Weighted Capitation Formula. Copies are available in the Library.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many numbered training places were available for trainee consultants specialising in rheumatoid arthritis in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition covered by the rheumatology specialty. We are unable to determine how many trainee specialists, with national training numbers (NTNs) in rheumatology, specialise in rheumatoid arthritis.
	The table shows the number of NTNs in rheumatology in each of the last five years.
	
		Numbered training places in Rheumatology 1998 to 2002
		
			 Year(5) Number of numbered training places 
		
		
			 1998(6) 185 
			 1999(6) 188 
			 2000(6) 183 
			 2001 198 
			 2002 206 
		
	
	(5) As of March
	(6) May be missing small number of unassigned Numbered Training Places
	For 200304, trusts will have the opportunity to create up to 40 additional locally funded specialist registrar (NTN) training opportunities in rheumatology.
	Between September 1997 and March 2002, the number of consultants in rheumatology increased by 27 per cent.

School Nurses

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many school nurses there were in each year since 1997.

John Hutton: Separate information on the number of school nurses employed in the national health service is not collected centrally.
	Between 1997 and 2001, the number of qualified nurses employed in community services, which includes most school nurses, has increased by 6,500, or 14 per cent., to 52,400.

Somali People

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates he has made of the number of Somali-speaking people who are (a) registered with GPs in each London health district and (b) the number who cannot be placed on the GPs' register.

John Hutton: Anyone who is ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom is entitled to register with a general practitioner for general medical senvices or with a personal medical services (PMS) pilot provider to receive PMS. A person is 'ordinarily resident' for this purpose if lawfully living in the UK for a settled purpose for at least six months. Anyone coming to live in this country on this basis would qualify as ordinarily resident.
	If a person is having difficulties registering with a GP, they should contact their local primary care trust (PCT), which will be able to provide a list of doctors to whom they can apply. PCTs also have the power to allocate a person to a GP.

St. George's, Tooting

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding his Department has given to St. George's Hospital NHS Trust, Tooting since May 1997.

John Hutton: National health service trusts do not normally receive funding from the Department of Health but receive income for service provision from primary care trusts. The figure given is the total income, including all income from activities and all other operating income, for St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust.
	Income for the latest five years for St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust, for which figures are available, is shown in the table.
	
		000
		
			  Total income 
		
		
			 200102 251,017 
			 200001 223,195 
			 19992000 227,622 
			 199899 185,927 
			 199798 173,135 
		
	
	Source:
	Audited summarisation schedules of the St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust 199798 to 200102.

Theft (Hospitals)

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many instances of theft from corpses in NHS hospitals were recorded in each of the last five years for which there are records.

John Hutton: This information is not routinely collected centrally.

Private Hospital Invoices

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how invoices for operations carried out in private hospitals are raised.

John Hutton: This information is not held centrally. The arrangements for invoicing are the commercial responsibility of individual private hospitals.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Attacks on Politicians

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the attacks on (a) the person and (b) the property of those involved in democratic politics in Northern Ireland since 1 January, broken down by (i) the nature of the attack, (ii) the weapon or amount and type of explosive used and (iii) the judgement of the PSNI as to the organisation responsible.

Jane Kennedy: The Government unreservedly condemns all attacks on the democratic process. The following attacks were carried out on those involved in democratic politics since 1 January 2003:
	
		(a) Attacks on persons involved in democratic politics 1 January 2003 to date
		
			  
		
		
			 16 April An explosive device consisting of 2 pipe bombs attached to a gas cylinder was placed outside the constituency offices of Nigel Dodds MP for Belfast, North. The attack was subsequently claimed by CIRA. 
			 17 April The unknown occupant of a van, which drew up alongside Nigel Dodds MP on the Limestone Road, used abusive and threatening language. 
			 12 May A parcel bomb was sent to the right hon. David Trimble MP at the Offices of the UUP Headquarters, Holy wood Road, Belfast. Two shotgun cartridges were to be ignited by matches but only the matches ignited. RIRA claimed responsibility for the attack. 
		
	
	
		(b) Attacks on the property of those involved in democratic politics 1 January 2003 to date
		
			  
		
		
			 16 January An elaborate hoax device was placed outside the home of Mrs Brid Rodgers in Craigavon. Police believe this was an attempt by local youths to draw the police into the area to initiate some form of riot or other attack on the security forces. 
			 18 February Bomb hoax at Sinn Fein Offices on Andersonstown Road, Belfast. The call was made by a person claiming to be from the Continuity IRA. 
			  Bomb hoax at Sinn Fein Offices on Sevastopol Street, Belfast. The timing suggests that the two incidents were linked. Nothing was found in either incident. 
			 25 March There was an attack on the home of Anne Bell, SDLP Councillor and member of Strabane District Policing Partnership. A car belonging to Councillor Bell's daughter was destroyed by arson attack; an accelerant is believed to have been used. It is believed dissident republicans were responsible.

Call Centres

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what financial incentives have been made available by Government agencies to businesses wishing to establish call centres in the Belfast area; and whether these incentives are available to entrepreneurs in other parts of Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: Selective Financial Assistance toward the establishment and development of 16 customer contact centres within the Belfast area has been provided by Invest NI and its predecessor agencies. The level of assistance is negotiable on a case-by-case basis and while a full range of financial instruments have been used, assistance is primarily offered by way of revenue grants that are earned by performance. The full range of Invest NI assistance is available to companies wishing to establish in all parts of Northern Ireland.

Call Centres

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many call centres have been established in Northern Ireland with Government financial assistance; at what location; and how many jobs have been created as a result.

Ian Pearson: 28 companies in the contact centre sector are either currently in receipt of, or have an offer of, government assistance to establish operations in Northern Ireland. Current employment among these companies is 7,274 people, with a projected employment level of 9,831 by the end of 2004. The geographical breakdown of site locations is as follows: Belfast 16; Londonderry 3; Newry 3; Portadown 2; Bangor 2; Larne 1 and Armagh 1.

Castlereagh Break-in

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will make a statement on the findings of the Chilcot Report into the break-in at Police Special Branch Castlereagh station on 17 March 2002.

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the expected date is for the delivery to Government of the Chilcot Report into the break-in at Castlereagh on 17 March 2002.

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects to receive the Chilcot Report into the break-in at the Castlereagh police complex.

Paul Murphy: Sir John Chilcot has not yet finally completed his report into the break-in at Castlereagh Police Station. I will inform the House when I have received the report.

CCTV

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what public funding is available to extend the coverage of the CCTV network within (a) Belfast City Centre and (b) other parts of the South Belfast District Command Unit of PSNI.

Jane Kennedy: The Government consider that CCTV has made a valuable contribution to tackling crime. We are currently exploring whether and how additional provision can be made for additional CCTV systems, especially in town centres and I hope to shortly be in a position to give further consideration to this.
	You will already be aware that three additional CCTVs were recently installed in south Belfast from funding secured from the business sector. Public funding was provided to support this scheme with the provision of radio's to local business premises.
	On 30 April the police announced the provision of five emergency contact points to be integrated into the CCTV system. These new contact points will permit the public to communicate, both verbally and through the CCTV camera, with the CCTV control room. If they are successful they should reduce the fear of crime.

Crime/Drug Addiction

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment has been made of the link between crime and drug addiction in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: The Government are aware of anecdotal information, and limited evidence available from the Probation Board, that suggest that there are links between illicit drug misuse and crime in Northern Ireland. A number of small, localised, analyses have been completed, but a full regional assessment has yet to be carried out.
	Under the Implementation Structures, created for delivery of the Illicit drugs and Alcohol Strategies, one of the activities specified in the Drug and Alcohol Regional Action Plan related to: undertaking research into the extent and nature of the drug problem, to identify crime committed under the influence of drugs and crime committed to get drugs. This activity has now been extended to cover alcohol, and a joint project is soon to be initiated.

Ex-prisoner Groups

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funding bodies have responsibility for allocating funds to groups and organisations dealing with ex-prisoner issues; how much each such body has allocated to ex-prisoner groups in the current year; and which ex-prisoner groups have benefited.

Paul Murphy: I am sorry for the delay in replying, the information requested required considerable cross-departmental co-ordination.
	The Northern Ireland Office does not allocate any funds directly to ex-prisoner groups. The Department does however provide core funding to two grant-aided non-statutory organisations, NIACRO and EXTERN, who provide accommodation services and links to employability. These services can be made available to ex-offenders in the community.
	Within the Northern Ireland Administration groups and organisations dealing with ex-prisoners may apply for funding from any programme or scheme for which they satisfy the eligibility criteria. In the year 200203, a total of 3,767,906 was allocated from a variety of sources. Details are given in the tables.
	
		Funding to ex-prisoner groups -- 
		
			 Funding body Total figure 
		
		
			 Community Relations Council 510 
			 Community Foundation (NI) 2,092,256 
			 Department for Employment and Learning 564,842 
			 Department of Education 4,800 
			 YESIP (YouthNet) 15,661 
			 Omagh Local Strategy Partnership 34,000 
			 Strabane Local Strategy Partnership 63,750 
			 Cooperation Ireland 92,149 
			 Area Development Management/Combat Poverty Agency 755,541 
			 BRO North Team 88,240 
			 BRO Inner West Team/Outer West Team (Joint Funded) 56,157 
		
	
	
		Organisations receiving funding
		
			  
		
		
			 Coiste na NIarchimi 
			 Tar Isteach 
			 Lisburn Prisoners' Support Project 
			 Northern Ireland Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (NIACRO) 
			 Gae Lairn Ltd 
			 Tar Anall 
			 Arais Aris ar an Omaigh 
			 Cairde 
			 Iarchime Fear Manach 
			 La Nua 
			 Failte Chlain Eois 
			 Cumann na Meirleach 
			 Teach na Failte 
			 EPIC (Ex-Prisoners Interpretative Centre) 
			 An Eochair Ex-Prisoner Support 
			 New Lodge Forum 
			 Tar Abhaile 
			 Cumann na Meirleach Ard Mhaca Theas 
			 EPIC Northwest 
			 Amach Agus Insteach 
			 Cairde Strabane Ex-Prisoners Group 
			 Upp Springfield Devel Trust 
			 Goitse 
			 Prisoners Enterprise Project 
			 Iarchimi Fhearmanach 
			 North Belfast Prisoners Aid 
			 Tra Chearr

Garda Siochana Uniform

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what date the Garda Siochana uniform was placed in the display cabinet in the foyer of Garnerville PSNI station; what articles were removed from the display cabinet in the foyer of Garnerville PSNI station to make way for the Garda Siochana uniform; what police uniforms are on display in the display cabinet in the foyer of Garnerville PSNI station; and when the first passing out parade of the PSNI took place.

Jane Kennedy: It was not necessary to remove any articles to make way for the Garda Siochana uniform which was placed on display at the Police College at Garnerville on 5 April 2002. There are currently two Royal Irish Constabulary, one Royal Ulster Constabulary, one Police Service of Northern Ireland and one Garda Siochana uniform on display.
	The first PSNI graduation ceremony was held on 5 April 2002.

Interface Conflict

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his definition is of (a) a security response and (b) a community safety initiative in the context of dealing with interface conflict in Northern Ireland.

Paul Murphy: The security response to interface violence is essentially the measures the police have deemed necessary in order to keep the warring factions apart and defuse street disturbances. In addition to the deployment of substantial manpower resources, both police and army, other security measures include the installation of CCTV cameras at interface locations and the erection of security fences.
	Community Safety means preventing, reducing or containing the social, environmental and intimidatory factors which affect people's right to live without fear of crime and which impact on the quality of life. This definition applies across all areas of Northern Ireland, including the interface areas.

Invest Northern Ireland

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are employed by Invest Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: As at 30 March 2003 Invest Northern Ireland had 709 staff plus a further nine engaged on local contracts in its overseas offices.

Invest Northern Ireland

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assistance Invest Northern Ireland has given in the past year to existing businesses in North Belfast to enable them to remain viable.

Angela Smith: In the financial year from 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003, Invest Northern Ireland has offered a total of 8,630,000 to businesses and their support organisations in the North Belfast parliamentary constituency.
	In addition to direct financial support, Invest Northern Ireland funds a range of programmes operating within North Belfast which are aimed at encouraging both new business start-ups and existing business growth.

Judicial Oversight Commissioner

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress made in appointing a judicial oversight commissioner for Northern Ireland.

Des Browne: Interviews for the post of Criminal Justice Oversight Commissioner for Northern Ireland have been conducted. Once an appointment has been made, the Government will make an announcement.

National Minimum Wage

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the estimated cost is in 200304 to his Department, agencies and the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible of the increase in the national minimum wage from 4.20 per hour to 4.50 per hour.

Paul Murphy: The increase in the national minimum wage will not result in any additional costs to the pay bill of the Northern Ireland Office or the 11 departments within the Northern Ireland Administration as all staff are already earning in excess of 4.50 per hour.

Northern Ireland Act

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much each Government Department of the Northern Ireland Assembly has spent on consultations arising from section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 since 1999.

Des Browne: It is not possible to accurately identify the costs of consultations arising from section 75 as such consultations are frequently undertaken as part of the general policy consultation process.

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what independent evaluation has been made of PSNI training procedures; what criteria has been used to judge their effectiveness; and what plans are in place for future evaluation.

Jane Kennedy: Occupational Psychologists and the University of Ulster evaluate the training process for student officers. A range of organisations are engaged to evaluate programme delivery, for example, the Police Skills and Standards Organisation, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, Mediation Northern Ireland, Her Majesty's Inspector of Training and the Learning Advisory Council. All of the above organisations are engaged on an ongoing basis.
	Since the launch of the Student Officer Programme in November 2001, two external evaluations have been conducted. The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission reviewed the Human Rights elements whilst Mediation Network looked at the police/community relationships module.
	Independent evaluation of 'Course for All' is currently being procured.
	In addition, Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary has evaluated training as part of the UK wide Diversity Review.
	The PSNI has recently invited a number of organisations with a statutory interest in police training to meet and discuss how future evaluation can be co-ordinated and managed.

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications were received for the new position of civilian director of training for the PSNI; how many applicants were interviewed and what the breakdown by perceived community of origin and gender; what equal opportunities monitoring procedures were undertaken as part of the recruitment process; and if he will place a copy of the job specification in the Library.

Jane Kennedy: 42 applications were received for the position of civilian director of training. 16 applicants attended the first interview stage, and six attended the second. The breakdown at the second stage interview was four male, two female/two Catholic, four non-Catholic.
	The equal opportunities monitoring was carried out by the PSNF's Equal Opportunities Unit.
	A copy of the job specification has been placed in the Library.

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many external tutors and organisations are involved in the training of PSNI recruits and staff: what his estimate is of expenditure in this financial year; and if he will place the list of names and organisations in the Library.

Jane Kennedy: Approximately 91 external tutors and organisations are employed by the PSNI. Spend for the current financial year at 19 May is 114,250.
	Not all external tutors and organisations would wish their details to be in the public domain and, therefore, the PSNI does not propose to provide a list for the Library.

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many tutors involved in the training of PSNI recruits and staff have been (a) suspended and (b) removed from their posts in the last two years.

Jane Kennedy: One tutor has been temporarily transferred pending the outcome of a disciplinary investigation.

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures have been taken to submit PSNI training procedures to public consultation.

Jane Kennedy: The PSNI's training procedures result from the Service's Training, Education and Development Programme. The TED Programme was approved by the Northern Ireland Policing Board in March 2002.
	During the Formulation of the TED Programme a number of organisations representing a broad spectrum of society were consulted.
	There was also public consultation before the launch in November 2001 of the Student Officer training programme. The University of Ulster managed the public consultation for the PSNI and the University has established a Learning Advisory Council which will continue to gather public comment.

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures have been taken to ensure that community awareness training is developed and integrated into all aspects of PSNI training.

Jane Kennedy: Measures are currently being developed to ensure that community awareness training is developed and integrated into all aspects of PSNI training. The Service is working with Mediation Northern Ireland in this area.
	Attention was focused on community awareness in the designing of the Student Officer Programme.
	The core themes of the Training, Education and Development Strategy, approved by the Northern Ireland Policing Board in April 2002, were diversity, equality and community policing.
	The recent report of the Oversight Commissioner indicated that the PSNI had achieved administrative compliance with the relevant Patten recommendation (139).
	The Policing Board is to review progress in this area toward the end of the year.

President Bush (Visit)

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total costs associated with the recent visit of President Bush to Hillsborough, County Down were.

Paul Murphy: The costs associated with President Bush's visit to Northern Ireland, which included visits by the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach, were borne by a number of agencies and met from within their existing operating budgets. Information on the costs relating to this visit is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Public Service Agreement

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (a) how many and (b) what grades of officials are responsible for the monitoring of progress towards the public service agreement targets of the Department.

Paul Murphy: The Northern Ireland Office has four Public Service Agreement targets, the delivery of which is the responsibility of Directors at SCS level. Monitoring is carried out by three Grade As, one Grade Bl and one Grade B2, as part of their normal duties.
	As from 1 April 2003, progress reports are available on the web site www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/performance/nio.cfm. Within the Northern Ireland Administration progress towards the targets is monitored by officials as part of their work. The information requested on the precise staff numbers and grades is not readily available and could be obtainable only at disproportionate cost.

Public Service Agreement

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps the Department has taken to publicise its Public Service Agreement targets; and at what cost to public funds.

Paul Murphy: The Public Service Agreement targets for the 11 Departments of the Northern Ireland administration were published in 'Building on ProgressPriorities and Plans 20032006'. A copy of this document was placed in the House of Commons Library on 11 December 2002. This document is also available on the Programme for Government web-site (www.pfgni.gov.uk). The cost of printing the document amounted to 6,837.
	The Public Service Agreement targets for the Northern Ireland Office were published in the PSA White Paper Command 5571 and were placed on the HMT website. The Department also made them available on the NIO website. Reporting on the performance on the targets is made available to the public via the Treasury website www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/performance/nio.cfm, the Autumn Performance Report and as part of the information contained in the NIO Departmental Report.
	The web-based publication of the PSA target forms a small section in each of these comprehensive sources of information, and can be viewed at no cost to public funds.
	The cost of printing the Departmental Report amounted to 5,130.00.

Road Obstructions

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons received summonses for obstructing free passage along a road without lawful authority or reasonable excuse arising from (a) the protest against the visit of the President of the United States to Hillsborough in April 2003 and (b) the celebration by supporters of the Armagh GAA team flowing their All-Ireland victory.

Jane Kennedy: In relation to (a), no persons received summonses for protesting against the visit of President Bush to Hillsborough in April 2003. Regarding (b), there were no summonses for obstruction. The return 'procession' to Armagh City was legally notified to the Parades Commission and was not subject to any conditions.

Speed Cameras

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his policy is on the use of covert fixed cameras to detect speeding motorists; and whether the presence of such cameras must be notified to motorists.

Jane Kennedy: Northern Ireland has a significant road traffic collision problem of which speed is a significant contributory factor. Research indicates that speed cameras have made a positive contribution towards saving lives on the roads. Following the launch of the Northern Ireland Road Safety Strategy 200203, fixed speed cameras will be introduced into Northern Ireland on the basis of a pilot scheme on 1 July 2003.
	The Police Service of Northern Ireland, who participated in fixed speed camera trials, will comply with Home Office guidelines which stipulate that the face of the fixed camera will be painted yellow and all such cameras must be accompanied by suitable signage.
	It is intended to keep the community fully informed as to the location of all fixed camera sites.
	Northern Ireland has a significant road traffic collision problem, horribly illustrated by the high number of deaths from 1 January 2003. Speed is a significant contributory factor and international research has shown that for every 1mph reduction in average speed, there was a 5 per cent. reduction in the number of collisions.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Councillors' Allowances

Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much was paid in attendance allowances to local authority councillors in England in each of the last 10 financial years; and how much he estimates will be allocated in the current financial year.

Nick Raynsford: Local authorities have not been able to pay attendance allowance since July 2001. When attendance allowance was payable, information on the amounts paid by local authorities to councillors was not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Councillors may receive basic and special responsibility allowances in respect of their duties. These are discretionary allowances, with their levels set by individual local authorities, having regard to the recommendations of their independent remuneration panels. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not gather information on the total amount of allowances paid to councillors.

Arson

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what target the Government have set to reduce the number of malicious fires relating to school premises; when the target was set; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Raynsford: The Government have a target of a 30 per cent. reduction in the number of deliberate fires, including school premises, by March 2009. The target was set following the Spending Review 2000, and the results reported in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Annual Report 2003.
	Following the Spending Review 2002, fire targets are being reviewed and a revised deliberate fires target will be announced in the Government's forthcoming Fire White Paper, due shortly.
	Arson is one of the major fire threats facing us today. In 2001, we established the Arson Control Forum to provide the strategic direction to the national fight against arson. The Forum is taking forward a programme of measures that will address arson in its many forms, including deliberate school fires.
	To date, the Forum has invested some 2.25 million in local initiatives. These include programmes aimed at educating children about the dangers of playing with fire. We have allocated a further 13.3 million over the next three years to build on this programme of work.

Arson

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many malicious fires relating to school premises there were in each year since 1997, in each fire brigade area across England and Wales.

Nick Raynsford: The following table contains information on the number of malicious fires in schools attended by local authority fire brigades in England and Wales in each year between 1997 and 2001 (the latest calendar year for which data are available). Malicious fires are those where malicious or deliberate ignition was proved or suspected (this includes fires which were recorded by the brigade as doubtful).
	
		Malicious fires(7),(8) in schools by brigade, England and Wales, 19972001(9)
		
			 Brigade area 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001(9) 
		
		
			 England and Wales 927 726 874 799 892 
			 England 865 694 821 752 855 
			 Englandnon-Met counties 369 382 396 423 415 
			  
			 Avon 15 23 15 13 16 
			 Bedfordshire 0 13 8 20 10 
			 Berkshire 5 6 10 5 2 
			 Buckinghamshire 12 3 17 12 9 
			 Cambridgeshire 9 7 8 0 0 
			 Cheshire 21 11 14 24 10 
			 Cleveland 36 24 12 31 5 
			 Cornwall 0 1 5 0 0 
			 Cumbria 5 2 15 3 7 
			 Derbyshire 9 25 12 4 14 
			 Devon 20 0 13 13 21 
			 Dorset 5 1 13 5 13 
			 Durham 17 25 10 12 10 
			 East Sussex 8 1 8 19 17 
			 Essex 11 21 5 16 15 
			 Gloucestershire 14 0 0 8 5 
			 Hampshire 6 8 15 20 24 
			 Hereford  Worcester 0 8 0 4 5 
			 Hertfordshire 4 19 30 19 8 
			 Humberside 8 37 26 9 32 
			 Isle of Wight 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Kent 20 6 14 6 17 
			 Lancashire 34 34 28 45 41 
			 Leicestershire 17 10 11 17 21 
			 Lincolnshire 8 0 5 0 0 
			 Norfolk 0 0 1 10 4 
			 North Yorkshire 11 1 5 26 5 
			 Northamptonshire 4 15 11 0 10 
			 Northumberland 5 4 4 4 5 
			 Nottinghamshire 18 43 9 29 15 
			 Oxfordshire 1 2 9 5 11 
			 Shropshire 10 10 5 4 0 
			 Somerset 6 6 0 4 15 
			 Staffordshire 3 13 26 11 19 
			 Suffolk 6 0 0 0 8 
			 Surrey 5 0 0 5 8 
			 Warwickshire 10 0 0 4 5 
			 West Sussex 2 0 26 8 0 
			 Wiltshire 4 1 9 7 10 
			 Isles of Scilly 0 0 0 0 0 
			  
			 EnglandMet Counties 496 312 424 329 440 
			  
			 Greater Manchester 146 103 110 55 101 
			 Merseyside 123 48 58 56 49 
			 South Yorkshire 21 20 13 20 43 
			 Tyne and Wear 28 33 23 33 32 
			 West Midlands 59 42 55 64 50 
			 West Yorkshire 58 31 54 42 75 
			 Greater London 60 36 112 59 90 
			  
			 Wales 62 32 54 47 37 
			  
			 North Wales 17 15 8 6 0 
			 Mid and West Wales 12 14 14 25 0 
			 South Wales 33 3 31 16 37 
		
	
	(7) Including late call and heat and smoke damage incidents.
	(8) Figures are based on sampled data weighted to true brigade totals.
	(9) Provisional.

Fire Safety Legislation

Brian Cotter: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the work being carried out by his Department to rationalise fire safety legislation; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is working with stakeholder organisations, through the Fire Safety Advisory Board, to refine our proposals to reform fire safety legislation, on which we consulted last year. Although the consultation exercise formally ended on 22 November 2002, we took the decision to take account of any further comments received while consideration of responses was being conducted. That work is now largely complete and we expect to be in a position to bring legislation, in the form a Regulatory Reform Order, before Parliament in the autumn.

Local Government Finance

Michael Foster: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what evidence he has collated of cost differences between Worcestershire and Warwickshire when credit approvals are given for capital allocations.

Nick Raynsford: Although basic credit approvals are mainly issued by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister, the total is determined as part of departmental spending plans. For 200304, each individual local authority's share of the total depended on
	1. the total of service based allocations for those services for which it is responsible (in this instance, Warwickshire and Worcestershire will comprise Education, Personal Social Services, Transport, and Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services (EPCS)); plus
	2. adjustments to reflect updated receipts information for previous year and to provide for the EPCS Annual Capital Guideline; and
	3. the amount distributed according to ministerial discretion.
	The basis for distributing basic credit approvals for each of the individual service elements identified at 1. above differs:
	The Department for Education and Skills uses a needs based formula for credit approvals which is split 40 per cent. based on pupil numbers and 60 per cent. on the building condition need. This formula does have a regional weighting factor, which is based on a relative assessment of building costs in the area. Worcestershire's weighting factor is 0.96 and Warwickshire's is one.
	The Department for Transport bases its allocations on the length of networks and numbers of bridges etc. It also factors in the relative size of backlogs compared to the national picture. Some adjustments may be made to allocations based on information supplied by the Government Office, local authority and Department for Transport, which can take account of cost differentials.
	The Department of Health allocation of BCAs is based on two factors: tender price indexing for social housing (TPISH) and an authority's population figures. As both Worcestershire and Warwickshire are in the West Midlands region, the same TPISH figure will apply. Population figures are split into three age groupings (based on Census 2001 data) which are weighted. Allocation differences will arise from the individual local authority population differences.
	In addition to basic credit approvals, local authorities also receive supplementary credit approvals from Departments and these are mostly allocated following a bidding process. In these instances, local authorities supply the cost data supporting their bids, which are then assessed and processed by the relevant Government Departments.

Local Government Finance

Michael Foster: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what size of shire county he estimates is sufficient to produce reliable statistics for the calculation of the labour cost adjustment made by his Department.

Nick Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minster considers that each pre-reorganisation county area outside London and its fringe area is of sufficient size to produce reliable labour cost factors for use in the funding formula, with the exception of the Isle of Wight.
	During the consultation on the 200304 local government finance settlement, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister accepted that the Isle of Wight has a New Earnings Survey sample size, which is not large enough to ensure stable labour cost factors over time. Accordingly, the Isle of Wight has been grouped together with Hampshire for the calculation of the area cost adjustment.

Local Government Finance

Michael Foster: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he received from Berkshire county council about area cost adjustment.

Nick Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minster has received no correspondence regarding the area cost adjustment in recent years from Berkshire county council, which ceased to exist in 1998.

Local Government Finance

Michael Foster: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of (a) the impact of allocating additional resources to (i) Warwickshire, (ii) Gloucestershire, (iii) Birmingham and (iv) Dudley in the form of area cost adjustment, and (b) the impact on Worcestershire of not receiving such resources;
	(2)  what impact he estimates area cost adjustment has had on Dudley metropolitan borough council's ability to recruit and retain staff.

Nick Raynsford: The area cost adjustment (ACA) is a top up in the grant formula, which provides extra grant to areas with higher labour and business rate costs. It is directed at those areas which, because of labour market pressures, have higher recruitment and retention costs. The following table shows the size of the ACA formula top up for four key services for the authorities named above. These figures correspond to those given in the 'simpler presentation of formula outcomes tables', produced for the 200304 local government finance settlement, detailed in the table.
	
		000
		
			 Area Education Social Services EPCS Highways 
		
		
			 Warwickshire 6,646.29 2,791.56 1,046.52 552.81 
			 Gloucestershire 5,663.51 2,383.59 929.15 545.40 
			 Birmingham 16,674.65 8,053.96 7,147.23 1,038.61 
			 Dudley 4,195.87 1,863.48 1,808.79 310.88 
		
	
	Although Worcestershire does not receive an ACA top up, it does benefit from the ACA's lower limit floor mechanism. This raises Worcestershire's ACA factor to the ACA's minimum value of one.
	Further information on the effect of the ACA on grant allocations by formula and area can be found in the Simpler Presentation Guide to the Local Government Finance Settlement 200304, which can be found on the Office of the Deputy Prime Ministers website at: http://www.local.odpm.gov.uk/finance/0304/simppress/index. htm

Local Government Finance

Michael Foster: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what plans he has to treat Worcestershire and Herefordshire as separate counties for the purpose of calculating area cost adjustment;
	(2)  what plans he has to smooth the impact of area list adjustment on neighbouring authorities not in receipt of this.

Nick Raynsford: In the 2001 local government White Paper, Strong Local LeadershipQuality Public Services, the Government announced that the local government funding formula would be frozen for 200405 and 200506, following the completion of the recent formula review. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not plans to alter the basis on which the area cost adjustment is calculated, other than to update the data on which the adjustment is based, or to take account of any changes to local authority functions.

School Funding

Phil Willis: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what modelling was done by his Department to test the new funding system for local authorities and schools with particular reference to its impact at individual school level.

Nick Raynsford: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for South Shields (Mr. Miliband) on 12 June 2003, Official Report, column 126W.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Autism

Valerie Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans his Department has to ensure that people with autism spectrum disorders can obtain the full range of disability benefits.

Maria Eagle: People with autism spectrum disorders are entitled to disability living allowance and attendance allowance if they meet the usual qualifying conditions for the benefits. Receipt of these benefits can also give entitlement to disability premiums in the income-related benefits and to the disability elements in tax credits. To help severely disabled people claim disability living allowance and attendance allowance we are improving the claim forms and the process for making claims. Decision-makers receive specifically designed training to help them deal with claims from people with autism spectrum disorders and other learning difficulties.

Child Support Agency

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases were dealt with by the Child Support Agency in each of the last five years in (a) Leeds Metropolitan District and (b) the Leeds, West constituency.

Malcolm Wicks: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. John Battle of 13 June 12003
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You ask how many cases were dealt with by the Child Support Agency in each of the last five years in (a) Leeds Metropolitan District and (b) the Leeds West Constituency.
	I am unable to provide you with figures relating to the number of cases dealt with by the Agency in Leeds. I can however estimate the number of new applications received in the last four years to 31 March 2002.
	
		
			 Year to 31 March Leeds Metropolitan Leeds West 
		
		
			 1999 2,000 300 
			 2000 1,700 200 
			 2001 1,000 100 
			 2002 1,000 200 
		
	
	I do not have the figures for the year ending 31 March 2003. I will ensure that you are provided with this information as soon as it becomes available.

Child Support Agency

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what methods are employed by the Child Support Agency to recover arrears of child maintenance by absent self-employed parents.

Malcolm Wicks: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Huw Edwards of 13 June 2003
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive replyfrom the Chief Executive.
	You ask what methods are employed by the Child Support Agency to recover arrears of child maintenance by absent self-employed parents.
	In these circumstances the non resident parent will be approached by a caseworker who will seek to reach an agreement on payment which is acceptable to all parties. If that does not prove possible the caseworker will make a decision on the most appropriate payment arrangement having regard to all relevant facts and will seek the agreement of the non resident parent to that. If that is not agreed the Agency may apply to the Magistrates Court for a Liability Order, which is required before we can take any formal enforcement proceedings.
	If the Court has granted a Liability Order, we may then try to recover the debt by one or more of the following actions:
	(a) Levying of distress involving the use of Bailiffs
	(b) Establishing a third party debt orderallowing money owed to the debtor to be frozen and sent to us to cover the outstanding debt
	(c) Establishing a charging order- registering the debt against certain assets owned by the debtor
	(d) Registering a County Court judgement, which may affect the debtors creditrating
	(e) Applying for a warrant to commit the debtor to prison or for an order preventing them from holding or obtaining a driving licence.
	The position I describe applies to England and Wales with a different but broadly similar approach in Scotland.

Child Support Agency

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what enforcement action is being taken against Graham Edward Morris in respect of maintenance arrears due to Deidre Hilder, a constituent.

Malcolm Wicks: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Huw Edwards, dated 13 June 2003
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You ask what enforcement action is being taken against Graham Edward Morris in respect of maintenance arrears due to Deidre Milder a constituent.
	As individual cases are confidential I will write to you privately concerning Mr Morris.

Child Support Agency

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will recommend to the Child Support Agency that an advance payment is made to Deidre Hilder in respect of arrears due to her.

Malcolm Wicks: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Huw Edwards, dated 13 June 2003
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You ask if he will recommend to the Child Support Agency that an advance payment is made to Deidre Milder in respect of arrears due to her.
	As individual cases are confidential I will write to you privately concerning Deidre Milder.

Partnership Agreements

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to conclude a partnership agreement with the trade unions representing the staff in his Department.

Maria Eagle: The Department is about to introduce new arrangements for ensuring its trade unions are kept fully informed and are consulted about developments affecting staff, and for granting trade union representatives time off from their official duties. These arrangements reflect a commitment to work within the spirit of the partnership agreement between the Cabinet Office and the Council of Civil Service Unions (CCSU), which was signed in March 2000, and guidance on best practice provided to employers by the Arbitration, Conciliation and Advisory Service (ACAS). Once these new arrangements have been tested, we will consider our approach to a formal partnership agreement with the Department's trade unions.

Pathway Centres

Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions where within Essex he is establishing Pathway Centres to assist persons with health problems and disabilities to find work; what the purpose was of the centres; and what assessment he has made of their likely benefits.

Andrew Smith: People moving on to incapacity benefits should no longer be regarded as people at the end of their working lives, but people with working futures. The Green Paper Pathways to Work (CM 5690) set out a strategy for enabling people with health problems and disabilities to move into work, and so become and remain independent. The Government's consultation response and action plan (CM 5830), published on 10 June 2003, gives details of the proposals we are taking forward.
	The new approach will be introduced in three pilot areas from October 2003, with a further tranche starting from April 2004. On 5 June 2003, I announced that the
	second tranche of pilot areas would be based in the following Jobcentre Plus districts: Gateshead and South Tyneside, Somerset, Essex and East Lancashire. The Jobcentre Plus pathfinder offices participating in the Essex pilot are: Basildon, Braintree, Brentwood, Canvey Island, Chelmsford, Clacton, Colchester, Grays, Harlow, Harwich, Loughton, Rayleigh, Southend, Stansted Airport, Tilbury and Witham.
	A comprehensive evaluation programme of the pilots will be in place to assess the effectiveness of the proposals in supporting a return to work. As well as looking at the overall impact of the package of provision, the evaluation will assess what works best for whom, and in what circumstances, through quantitative surveys and qualitative studies of people claiming incapacity benefits, Jobcentre Plus staff and other key stakeholders.

Pensioners

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average pensioner income levels have been in each of the last 10 years.

Maria Eagle: The average net incomes (before housing costs for the years 199495 to 200001 for all pensioner units are contained in the following table.
	
		
			 Year Average incomes( per week, 200001 prices) 
		
		
			 199405 183 
			 199506 182 
			 199607 193 
			 199708 196 
			 199809 201 
			 19992000 209 
			 200001 215 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. All pensioner units are defined as: single (non-cohabiting people over the age of state pension age (65 and over for men, 60 and over for women) and couples (married or cohabiting) where the man is over the state pension age.
	2. All incomes are shown as per week and at 200001 prices.
	Source:
	The Pensioners' Incomes Series, 200001
	Estimates for earlier years are available in the publication The Pensioners' Incomes Series 200001 but they are not directly comparable with those in the table.

Pensioners

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of regional variations in pensioner poverty.

Maria Eagle: Estimates of the composition of low-income groups of pensioners and the percentages of pensioners with incomes below a range of low-income thresholds in 200102, analysed by Government Office Region, were published in Tables 6.4 and 6.6 of Households Below Average Income 199495200102. A copy is available in the Library.

Pensioners

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners will benefit from the pension credit in Scotland, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) parliamentary constituency.

Maria Eagle: The information is not available in the format requested however 400,000 people in Scotland stand to benefit from Pension Credit.
	Source:
	Policy Simulation Model 2003/04, based on data from the Family Resources Survey 200001.

Pensioners

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Scotland are in receipt of the minimum income guarantee, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) parliamentary constituency.

Maria Eagle: The information has been placed in the Library.

Pensioners

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Scotland are in receipt of the pension age addition, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) parliamentary constituency; and what percentage this represents of all pensioners in those local authorities and constituencies.

Maria Eagle: The information is not available in the format requested. However, the information in the tables shows the numbers of pensioners aged 80 and over in receipt of State Pension, which includes the age addition, as a percentage of all pensioners who are in receipt of a State Pension.
	
		State Pension recipients aged 80 plus in Scotland by parliamentary constituency
		
			  Age 80 and over in receipt of State Pension (Thousand) All in receipt ofState Pension (Thousand) Percentage 
		
		
			 All 201.3 917.3 22.0 
			 
			 Aberdeen Central 2.6 10.9 23.9 
			 Aberdeen North 2.0 11.0 18.2 
			 Aberdeen South 3.2 14.2 23.1 
			 Airdrie and Shotts 2.1 12.1 17.4 
			 Angus 3.5 15.6 22.4 
			 Argyll and Bute 3.0 13.6 22.1 
			 Ayr 3.8 15.5 25.1 
			 Banff and Buchan 2.9 13.4 28.2 
			 Caithness Sunderland and Easter Ross 2.3 10.5 22.1 
			 Carrick Cumnock and Doon Valley 3.5 15.6 22.4 
			 Central Fife 2.7 14.0 19.2 
			 Clydebank and Milngavie 3.3 13.8 24.1 
			 Clydesdale 3.5 15.6 22.4 
			 Coatbridge and Chryston 2.1 11.2 19.1 
			 Comhairle nan Eileen Siar 1.3 5.0 26.0 
			 Cumbernauld and Kilsyth 1.6 8.8 18.1 
			 Cunninghame North 3.3 14.7 22.4 
			 Cunninghame South 2.0 10.4 19.2 
			 Dumbarton 2.7 12.5 21.9 
			 Dumfries 2.8 16.5 17.1 
			 Dundee East 3.3 15.5 21.5 
			 Dundee West 2.6 12.6 20.8 
			 Dunfermline East 2.6 11.5 22.8 
			 Dunfermline West 2.5 11.7 21.5 
			 East Kilbride 2.7 15.4 17.5 
			 East Lothian 3.9 15.4 25.0 
			 Eastwood 3.9 16.8 23.4 
			 Edinburgh Central 2.8 11.0 25.2 
			 Edinburgh East and Musselburgh 2.9 13.1 22.3 
			 Edinburgh North and Leigh 2.6 10.7 24.6 
			 Edinburgh Pentlands 3.3 12.8 25.8 
			 Edinburgh South 4.0 13.3 30.2 
			 Edinburgh West 3.3 15.9 21.1 
			 Falkirk East 2.9 13.4 21.7 
			 Falkirk West 2.6 12.5 20.5 
			 Galloway and Upper Nithsdale 3.3 15.1 22.1 
			 Glasgow Anniesland 3.4 13.4 25.2 
			 Glasgow Baillieston 1.7 10.1 17.2 
			 Glasgow Cathcart 2.4 11.4 21.2 
			 Glasgow Govan 2.6 8.4 31.2 
			 Glasgow Kelvin 2.7 9.3 29.5 
			 Glasgow Maryhill 2.5 9.7 26.1 
			 Glasgow Pollok 2.5 12.5 19.7 
			 Glasgow Rutherglen 2.6 12.9 20.3 
			 Glasgow Shettleston 2.0 10.2 19.3 
			 Glasgow Springburn 2.6 12.2 21.1 
			 Gordon 2.7 13.3 20.6 
			 Greenock and Inverclyde 2.9 12.9 22.8 
			 Hamilton North and Bellshill 1.8 9.6 18.9 
			 Hamilton South 1.8 9.8 18.8 
			 Inverness East Nairn and Lochaber 3.6 16.9 21.3 
			 Kilmarnock and Loudoun 3.7 15.4 24.1 
			 Kirkcaldy 3.0 13.1 23.1 
			 Linlithgow 2.2 11.2 19.5 
			 Livingston 1.8 10.6 16.6 
			 Midlothian 2.5 11.2 22.3 
			 Moray 2.9 14.3 20.4 
			 Motherwell and Wishaw 2.6 13.1 19.6 
			 North East Fife 3.7 14.9 24.9 
			 North Tayside 4.0 17.6 23.0 
			 Ochil 2.4 12.2 19.5 
			 Orkney and Shetland 1.9 7.7 24.9 
			 Paisley North 2.4 11.4 21.1 
			 Paisley South 2.5 12.9 19.4 
			 Perth 3.9 16.3 24.1 
			 Ross Skye and Inverness West 2.9 13.9 20.8 
			 Roxburgh and Berwickshire 3.3 13.3 24.9 
			 Stirling 2.9 13.3 21.6 
			 Strathkelvin and Bearsden 2.8 14.1 19.8 
			 Tweeddale Ettrick and Lauderdale 2.9 12.5 23.6 
			 West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine 3.2 13.2 24.3 
			 West Renfrewshire 2.1 11.2 18.4 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred and are expressed in thousands.
	2. Numbers are based on a 5 per cent. sample, and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.
	Source:
	Pension Strategy Computer System as at 30 September 2002
	
		State Pension recipients aged 80 plus in Scotland by local authority
		
			  Age 80 and over in receipt of State Pension(Thousand) All in receipt of State Pension(Thousand) Percentage 
		
		
			 All 201.3 917.3 22.0 
			 
			 Aberdeen City 7.8 36.1 21.6 
			 Aberdeenshire 8.6 38.3 22.3 
			 Angus 5.2 21.8 23.9 
			 Argyll and Bute 4.0 17.7 22.5 
			 City of Edinburgh 18.2 74.5 24.5 
			 Clackmannanshire 1.5 7.6 19.9 
			 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar 1.3 5.0 25.8 
			 Dumfries and Galloway 6.2 31.6 19.5 
			 Dundee City 6.0 28.3 21.2 
			 East Ayrshire 5.3 22.5 23.6 
			 East Dumbartonshire 4.1 19.6 21.1 
			 East Lothian 4.6 17.8 26.0 
			 East Renfrewshire 3.9 16.8 23.4 
			 Falkirk 5.5 25.9 21.1 
			 Fife 14.6 65.2 22.4 
			 Glasgow City 22.8 99.0 23.0 
			 Highland 8.8 41.2 21.3 
			 Inverclyde 3.6 16.9 21.3 
			 Midlothian 3.1 14.0 22.1 
			 Moray 3.2 15.9 20.3 
			 North Ayrshire 5.3 25.1 21.0 
			 North Lanarkshire 9.6 50.9 18.8 
			 Orkney Islands 1.2 4.2 28.4 
			 Perth and Kinross 6.5 29.3 22.3 
			 Renfrewshire 6.3 31.4 20.0 
			 Shetland Isles 0.7 3.6 20.8 
			 South Ayrshire 5.8 24.0 24.1 
			 South Lanarkshire 11.0 55.1 19.9 
			 Stirling 3.4 16.0 21.4 
			 The Scottish Borders 5.6 22.9 24.6 
			 West Dumbartonshire 3.7 17.3 21.5 
			 West Lothian 4.0 21.8 18.1 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred and are expressed in thousands.
	2. Numbers are based on a 5 per cent. sample, and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.
	Source:
	Pension Strategy Computer System as at 30 September 2002

Pensions

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in the working population have no private pension provision.

Maria Eagle: Information is not available in the form requested. However, the recent Green Paper Simplicity, security and choice: Working and Saving for Retirement (Cm 5677-Chart at page 51) noted that, in 200102, more than half of all employees were contributing to a private pension. The Family Resources Survey 200102, on which the relevant Green Paper material was based, indicated that 11.8 million employees (45 per cent. of the total) were not at that time contributing to a private pension. Many of these may, of course, have private pension provision to which they were not contributing at that time.

Personnel Issues

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many employees have been seconded from Capita to the Department and its predecessors since 1997; for how long they worked in the Department; and what positions they held.

Maria Eagle: No employees have been seconded from Capita to the Department for Work and Pensions, or to the for Department of Social Security and the Employment Service, since 1997.

Single Equality Body

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the benefits of a federal model for the Single Equality Body for promoting equality and fairness for people with disabilities;
	(2)  if he will ensure that disability will continue to have high priority in the primary legislation which will create the Single Equality Body.

Maria Eagle: We are still considering responses to the consultation document Equality and DiversityMaking it happen on future institutional support for equality legislation including the submission from the Disability Rights Commission. We will be making a statement on the broad shape of future arrangements in due course. The challenge for Government is to ensure that whatever decisions are made deliver a structure which serves the needs of all people covered by equality legislation including disabled people.

Social Fund

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Social Fund claims there were in each (a) region and (b) nation of the UK since 1996; and how many were successful.

Malcolm Wicks: The available information has been placed in the Library.

Social Security Fraud

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were (a) cautioned and (b) prosecuted for social security fraud in each year since 2000; how much was involved; what were the penalties; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Information is not held centrally on the value of fraud where a prosecution or sanction has been applied. The available information is in the table.
	
		Prosecutions and sanctions since 2000
		
			  200001 200102 200203 
			  DWP Local authority Total DWP Local authority Total DWP Local authority(10) Total 
		
		
			 Custodial sentences(10) 660 (10) (10) 650 (10) (10) 470 (10) (10) 
			 Community sentences(10) 2,700 (10) (10) 3,070 (10) (10) 2,810 (10) (10) 
			 Other sentences(10) 8,040 (10) (10) 7,470 (10) (10) 5,990 (10) (10) 
			 Total successful prosecutions 11,400 1,110 12,510 11,180 1,700 12,880 9,270 1,691 10,961 
			 Cautions 7,840  7,840 7,030 1,470 8,500 7,080 2,435 9,515 
			 Administrative penalties 7,710 550 8,260 6,520 1,131 7,651 7,190 1,605 8,795 
			 Total 26,950 1,660 28,610 24,730 4,301 29,031 23,540 5,731 29,271 
		
	
	(10) Breakdown not available
	Notes:1. Local authority figures are available for first three quarters of 200203 only.
	2. Imprisonment, Young Offenders Institute, or custodial and fine.
	3. Community Service.
	4. Absolute discharge, conditional discharge, compensation only, admonishment, fine, community rehabilitation, suspended sentence, supervision order, Young Offenders Institute, attendance centre, unknown.
	5. Cautions were made available to local authorities as a sanction from the start of 200102
	6. Figures for financial year 200001 are taken from local authority management information returns. It is possible that there could be some double counting with DWP data if there were cases which involved a joint prosecution.
	7. Management information data for financial year 200001 is not available for all local authorities. The total for Great Britain includes estimates for local authorities that have not responded. These estimates are based on historical and regional data. This type of estimate is standard practice in reporting totals where there have been non-respondents. The figures for financial year 200001 have been rounded to two significant figures.
	8. Information for 200102 is from a count of prosecutions and sanctions completed by all local authorities; this data is collected from local authority subsidy returns. Subsidy data may differ from management information data (shown for financial year 200001) at local authority level; however, analysis shows a high level of consistency between the two data sources at national level.
	9. The DWP figures are from the Fraud Information By Sector database, which shows completed cases commenced in the relevant period. Due to the elapsed time between commencement of an investigation and completion of a prosecution there are cases that are inserted into previously completed data for earlier periods. All DWP totals are therefore correct at the time when quoted but subject to adjustment at a later date
	10. In accordance with National Statistics Guidelines all DWP figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Due to rounding process totals may not agree.

Whistleblowers Hotline

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many calls have been made to the Department's Whistleblowers Hotline in each year since its introduction, broken down by category; and what action has been taken on those cases.

Malcolm Wicks: The Whistleblowers Hotline was set up in December 2000 and can be used by any member of staff who wants to report wrongdoing anywhere in the Department but who does not want to report their concerns through the usual channels.
	The categories of cases reported to the Department's Whistleblowers Hotline, and detailed in the table below, are categorised using the criteria set out in the Public Interest (Disclosure) Act 1998.
	The Act is designed to protect workers from suffering detriment by their employer if the worker has made a qualifying disclosure as defined within the Act.
	The Departmental group which manages the hotline service is independent of local management. All concerns raised are considered by this group and referred for further investigation to the appropriate authority whether inside or outside the Department.
	
		
			 Category 1 December 2000 to 31 March 2001 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2002 
		
		
			 Criminal offence committed 15 15 20 
			 Breach of legal obligation 5 5 6 
			 Miscarriage of justice 1 0 1 
			 Danger to health and safety 0 0 3 
			 Damage to the environment 1 1 0 
			 Concealment of any of the above matters 2 1 2 
			 Total 24 22 32 
		
	
	The Department only started tracking outcomes of investigations in October 2002.
	The Department takes all allegations of wrongdoing by staff very seriously. It carriesout probing enquiries to determine whether the allegation is substantiated and if appropriate, takes disciplinary or other action. In instances where criminal offences have occurred the individual can also be prosecuted

Winter Fuel Allowance

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Scotland received the winter fuel allowance for the 200203 winter, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) parliamentary constituency; and what percentage these figures represent of the total numbers eligible for the allowance in each local authority and constituency.

Maria Eagle: Around one million people in Scotland received a winter fuel payment for the winter of 200203. Information broken down by constituency and local authority is not yet available but figures for 200102 are given in the tables. Most, but not all, people aged 60 and over are eligible for a winter fuel payment. The majority of entitled people receive their payments automatically but some have to claim and, because of this, we cannot provide a percentage of eligible people who received a payment.
	
		Winter fuel payments for Scotland by parliamentary constituency winter 200102
		
			  Thousand 
		
		
			 All 994.4 
			   
			 Aberdeen Central 11.6 
			 Aberdeen North 12.0 
			 Aberdeen South 15.5 
			 Airdrie and Shotts 13.4 
			 Angus 16.4 
			 Argyll and Bute 15.4 
			 Ayr 16.8 
			 Banff and Buchan 14.7 
			 Caithness Sunderland and Easter 11.6 
			 Ross  
			 Carrick Cumnock and Doon Valley 17.9 
			 Central Fife 14.5 
			 Clydebank and Milngavie 14.4 
			 Clydesdale 15.8 
			 Coatbridge and Chryston 12.2 
			 Cumbernauld and Kilsyth 10.0 
			 Cunninghame North 16.3 
			 Cunninghame South 11.5 
			 Dumbarton 13.8 
			 Dumfries 18.1 
			 Dundee East 16.0 
			 Dundee West 14.5 
			 Dunfermline East 13.1 
			 Dunfermline West 12.3 
			 East Kilbride 16.3 
			 East Lothian 16.0 
			 Eastwood 17.8 
			 Edinburgh Central 12.0 
			 Edinburgh East and Musselburgh 15.8 
			 Edinburgh North and Leigh 12.1 
			 Edinburgh Pentlands 14.2 
			 Edinburgh South 14.2 
			 Edinburgh West 17.5 
			 Falkirk East 14.3 
			 FalkirkWest 14.0 
			 Galloway and Upper Nithsdale 17.1 
			 Glasgow Anniesland 13.9 
			 Glasgow Baillieston 11.4 
			 Glasgow Cathcart 12.1 
			 Glasgow Govan 10.1 
			 Glasgow Kelvin 9.7 
			 Glasgow Maryhill 11.2 
			 Glasgow Pollok 13.1 
			 Glasgow Rutherglen 13.2 
			 Glasgow Shettleston 11.4 
			 Glasgow Springburn 13.2 
			 Gordon 14.2 
			 Greenock and Inverclyde 13.0 
			 Hamilton North and Bellshill 12.0 
			 Hamilton South 10.8 
			 Inverness East Nairn and Lochaber 17.1 
			 Kilmarnock and Loudoun 15.6 
			 Kirkcaldy 14.1 
			 Linlithgow 12.7 
			 Livingston 11.2 
			 Midlothian 12.4 
			 Moray 15.9 
			 Motherwell and Wishaw 14.2 
			 North East Fife 16.3 
			 North Tayside 18.9 
			 Ochil 13.6 
			 Orkney and Shetland 8.0 
			 Paisley North 12.4 
			 Paisley South 14.1 
			 Perth 17.2 
			 Ross Skye and Inverness West 14.7 
			 Roxburgh and Berwickshire 14.4 
			 Stirling 13.9 
			 Strathkelvin and Bearsden 16.3 
			 Tweeddale Ettrick and Lauderdale 13.5 
			 West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine 13.5 
			 West Renfrewshire 11.8 
			 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar 6.4 
		
	
	Notes:
	Figures are in thousands and have been rounded to the nearest hundred.
	Figures may not sum due to rounding.
	Source
	Matching Intelligence Data Analysis Service winter fuels payment 200102 exercise
	
		Winter fuel payments by local authority in Scotland 200102
		
			  Thousand 
		
		
			  
			  
			 All 996.4 
			   
			 Aberdeen City 39.1 
			 Aberdeenshire 40.7 
			 Angus 23.9 
			 Argyll and Bute 20.5 
			 City of Edinburgh 82.7 
			 Clackmannanshire 9.0 
			 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar 6.3 
			 Dumfries and Galloway 35.2 
			 Dundee City 30.5 
			 East Ayrshire 24.0 
			 East Dumbartonshire 22.0 
			 East Lothian 19.2 
			 East Renfrewshire 17.8 
			 Falkirk 28.3 
			 Fife 70.2 
			 Glasgow City 108.1 
			 Highland 43.3 
			 Inverclyde 17.3 
			 Midlothian 15.4 
			 Moray 17.6 
			 North Ayrshire 27.8 
			 North Lanarkshire 57.0 
			 Orkney Islands 4.2 
			 Perth and Kinross 30.5 
			 Renfrewshire 34.0 
			 Shetland Isles 3.8 
			 South Ayrshire 26.4 
			 South Lanarkshire 58.2 
			 Stirling 16.6 
			 The Scottish Borders 24.9 
			 West Dumbartonshire 18.2 
			 West Lothian 23.8 
		
	
	Note
	Figures are in thousands and rounded to the nearest hundred.
	Figures may not sum due to rounding.
	Source
	Matching Intelligence Data Analysis Service winter fuels payment 200102 exercise 100 per cent. data.